Verae Fidei Gloria est Corona Vitas. A VOJLUMJE OF SPIRITUAL EPISTLES: BEING THE (ftojries of gebeval Hettevs WRITTEN BY The two last PROPHETS and MESSENGERS of GOD, JOHN REEVE AND LODOWICKE MUGGLETON ; CONTAINING Variety of Spiritual Revelations, and deep Mysteries, manifesting to the Elect Seed the Prerogative Power of a true Prophet ; who, by Virtue of their Commissions, did truly give Blessings of Life Everlasting to those that believed their Declarations ; and to all despising Reprobates the Curse or Sentence of Eternal Damnation. COLLECTED BY THE GREAT PAINS OF ALEXANDER DELAMAINE, THE ELDER, A true Believer of God's last Commission of the Spirit. INTENDED At first only for his own spiritual Solace ; but finding they increased to so great a Volume, he leaves it to his Posterity, that Ages to come may rejoice in the comfortable View of so blessed and heavenly a Treasure. TRANSCRIBED FROM ALEXANDER DELAMAINE's ORIGINAL COPY BY TOBIAH TERRY, A true Believer of the like precious Faith in the true God the Man Christ Jesus, which most holy Faith the reprobate World despises. PRINTED, BY SUBSCRIPTION, IN THE YEAR 1755 : RE-PRINTED, BY SUBSCRIPTION, IN THE YEAR 1820, BY W, SMITH, KING STREET, LONG ACRE. ..ro iv! I/ .! ( 'jniaIi>Y oo ' - PREFACE. IN this paper book is contained several writings and letters to several particular persons ; some to the believers of this commission of the Spirit, and others to unbelievers that were moderate, and some to those that were despisers, as will be seen in those that read them. These writings and letters were written by John Reeve and Lodowicke Muggleton, the two last Wit- nesses and true Prophets that God will ever send, to the end of the world. These writings and letters were gathered from many parts of England, and copied out of the original let- ters sent by John Reeve and myself, by a true be- liever, and one of the blessed of the Lord to eternity, namely, Alexander Delamaine the elder. He hath taken a great deal of pains to gather these letters from all parts, and to copy them out in this book, and to send the originals to the parties again. These writings and letters are distinct from all that have been printed, and never was public to the world, although we have printed and published many books PREFACE. to the world, wherein life and death hath been set before all people. And some few hath chosen life rather than death, and hath believed our report concerning those two great mysteries, how God became flesh, and how the devil became flesh. Upon these two dependeth salvation and damna- tion of men and women ; which multitudes of people, who hath seen these books, and heard of them, their eyes being blinded, and their hearts hardened, hath gone that broad way of despising the mystery of God, and the mystery of the right devil, and so hath gone the broad way .into eternal destruction, and hath chosen death rather than life. And though there is enough printed to make the man of God perfect, as to life and salvation, to eter- nity ; yet, after my decease, whoever shall come to hear these letters read in this book, if they have any true light of faith in them, will see how the blessing of heaven did run in the days of a prophet, and how happy were those persons that were under it; and shall wish they had lived in those days, and shall rejoice they are counted worthy to hear these letters that never were printed. e ;4ood eifii nl ^rio i , r LODOW1CKE MUGGLETON. httr StacPf Annex AN ACROSTIC. P eruse with Joy, my Friends, the sacred Lines R eeve and Muggleton wrote by Power divine, / nspir'd by Christ the God whom we adore, N o more our God will send till Time's no more. T his writing long in Manuscript did lie, * E v'n now made publick to the faithful eye, D ominion, Power, and Praise to God on high. JB y Friends f these Letters together were collected, Y ea then transcrib'd, and now in Print perfected. S uch was the soul's desire of a dear friend that sleeps||, U nto us hath made known these sacred sheets ; B ut Praise to God 'tis done by some expence, S uch Truths to see, how great the recompence ! C ombine in Love ye Sons of Faith, and sing, R eturn all Praise to Christ your God and King. I t was for us his precious Blood was spill'd, P our'd forth his Soul, yea the Almighty kill'd : T hen at the Time decreed my God arose, I n Triumph over death and all his Foes ; O n high ascends eternally to reign, N ow we are longing till he comes again. * In the hands of Mr. Cook, Distiller, at Vauxhall, Surrey. t Alexander Delamaine and Tobiah Terry. || Thomas Tompkinson, in his preface to the Acts. 1 LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS, 1820. Mr, .M " soriLI f>Tir>u ,9ni i/ib 'fjv/o*! ycf f'3T< iriOllv/ { and Mrs. George Browne* Thomas Browne* t3 r. William Cates Mr. John Drummond Mr. and Mrs. James Frost Mr. and Mrs. Jamea Frost, jun. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Frost Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Frost MP. and Mrs. Joseph Flemming Mrs. Sarah Fever Mrs. Sarah Gandar Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gandar Mr. Edward Gandar Mr. and Mrs, Timothy Gandar Mr. Elhanan Gascoyne Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Glaskin Mr. and Mrs. William Graham t Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hewett Mrs. Hannah Hunt * Mr. and Mrs. George Hunt * Miss Hannah Hunt* Mr. Samuel Hunt* Miss Theodocia Hunt* Mr. John Hunt* Mr. Benjamin Hall* '. ! Miss Theodocia Hogg * Mr. John Hogg, jun.* Mr. Robert Hogg * Mrs. Amy Hall Mr. Stephen Hodgkinson* - Mr. and Mrs. William Lepper t Mr. James May I Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Pickersgill, sen. Mr. and Mrs. George Robinson Mr. Richard Smith Mr. James Pearce Smith Mrs. Susannah Spooner Miss Ann Slates * Mr. Richard Tyley D 'f ti- <>i fo'lJJO C I Mr. and Mrs. Vincent, sen. Mr. and Mrs. William Vincent, jun. i'j "it)7O nricfjun i Mr. James Windsor Mr. Robert Wallis Mr. James Wood Mrs. Esther Wilthew Mr. and Mrs. John White.* T * Derbyshire. t Maidstone. Deal. INDEX TO LETTERS, - Page The Prophet Muggleton to Atkinson, Mrs. Elizabeth, Feb. 12, 1671.... 317 i Bladdwell, Mrs. May 30, 1662 .... 51 Beake, Mr. Robert, July 11, 1664 ... 146 - Brocke, Mr. James, March 30, 1666 . . 206 ! Brooks, Mrs. Lydia, Oct. 24, 1668 . . ~278 Burton, Mr. Edward, Jan. 12, 1681 . . 492 ' Claxton, Mr. Lawrence, Dec. 25, 1660 . 29 ' Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Feb. 13, 1660 . . *35 . Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Feb. 16, 1661 . .35 ' ! Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, April 12, 1662 . . 50 ". , Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, July 14, 1662 . . 55 Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Sept. 12, 1662. . 66 Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Nov. 7, 1662 . . 75 , Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Nov. 28, 1662 . . 78 i Carter, Mrs. Elizabeth, Dec. 11, 1662 . . 88 . . . Carter, Mrs. Elizabeth, April 3, 1663 . . 98 . Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, April 3, 1663 . . 100 Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, May 8, 1663 . . 103 ' . Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, June 19, 1663 . . 110 1, . Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, July 18, 1663 . . 115 Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Nov. 14, 1663 . . 130 .. Carter, Mrs, Dorothy, Nov. 27, 1663 . . 132 viii INDEX TO LETTERS. Page The Prophet Muggleton to Carter, Mrs. Elizabeth, April 10, 1664 . 142 . Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Feb. 7, 1665 . . 174 Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, 1668 .... 240 Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, March 23, 1671 . 321 . . Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, August 30, 1672 . 352 . Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Jan. 16, 1674 . . 404 Carter, Mrs. Dorothy, Feb. 1, 1682 . . 509 Cleve, Mr- William, 1665 170 Cleve, Mr. Charles, March 15, 1665 . . 178 Cleve, Mr. Charles, Mr. Thomas Parke, Mr. Francis Hampson, April 24, 1671 . 328 Capp, Mr. March 15, 1683 . ..." 522 '. Dickinson, Mrs. Elizabeth, August 28, 1658 14 Dickinson, Mr. Aug. 9, 1661 .... 42 , Delamaine, Mr. Edward, June 16, 1668 . 252 - .. i . Delamaine, Mr. Alexander, June 8, 1671 . 833 Delamaine, Mr. Alexander, May 16, 1673 . 374 -, '- '- - . Dickinson, Miss Elizabeth, March 6, 1674 409 , Deunison, Major John, Feb. 24, 1678 . . 457 : Delamaine, Mr. Alex, junior, Nov. 18, 1678 470 . Delamaine, Mr. Alexander, June 25, 1683 529 Delamaine, Mrs. Ann, Feb. 3, 1687 . . . 584 Delamaine, Mrs. Sarah, Dec. '14, 1691 . 603 The Prophet Reeve's Epistle to his Friend, discovering the dark light of the Quakers, Sept. 20, 1654 .... 7 A Letter presented to Alderman Fouke, Lord Mayor of London, with a Declaration unto the Recorder Steel, the . w Lord Chief Justice Rowles, and the whole v-V ...... Bench and Jury ; and in general, to all Civil Magistrates and Juries in the world, from the Prophets John Reeve and Lodo- ( __, , - Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, July 19, 1662 . . 61 . . . . . . Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, August 11, 1662 . 65 . :-- Sudbury, Mr. Richard, Nov. 3, 1662 . . 73 . . _ Sudbury, Mr. Richard, Dec. 8, 1662 . . 82 , , . : . T . Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, Dec. 15, 1662 . . 90 , : i ... - Sudbury, Mr. Richard, May 19, 1663 . 104 : . . Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, May 19, 1663 . . 108 Sudbury, Mr. Richard, Dec. 13, 1C63 . 135 Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, Feb. 10, 1665 . . 172 . .... Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, Nov. 4, 1667 . . 225 INDEX TO LETTERS. xi Page The Prophet Muggleton to Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, May 25, 1668 : . 23G , . Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, June 14, 1669 . . 286 Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, August 30, 1660 . 292 .. Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, Jan. 13, 1671 . 312 . Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, April?, 1671 . . 326 Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, August 6, 1683 . . 535 Sudbury, Mrs. Ellen, July 19, 1684 . . 546 _______ Scott, Mrs. Mary, Oct. 12, 1681 ... 507 Sedley, Mr. William, Jan. 12, 1683 . . 518 Scott, Mrs. Mary, July 19, 1683 ... 531 Twisden, Sir Thomas, Jan. 6, 1663 . . 93 Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Dec. 9, 1664 . 164 Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, ; March 27, 1665 180 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, May 26, 1668 238 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Sept. 21, 1668 274 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Dec. 14, 1668 276 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Jan. 31, 1669 279 -Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, June 19, 1669 288 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Sept. 6, 1669 . 296 - Torapkinson, Mr. Thomas, Oct. 4, 1669 . 300 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Dec. 4, 1669 . 301 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, March 20, 1670 304 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, April 25, 1670 307 -Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Dec. 7, 1670 . 308 - Tompkinsou, Mr. Thomas, Oct. 16, 1672 362 - Tompkiuson, Mr. Thomas, Jan. 19, 1673 363 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Feb. 16, 1673 373 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, Aug. 11, 1673 402 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, July 1, 1675 . 429 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, July 29, 1679 476 - Tompkinson, Mr. Thomas, July 24, 1680 479 - Tompkinson, Mrs. Ann, July 10, 1684 . 544 - Wylds Goodwife, William Young, and Tho- mas Martyn, of Kent, Aug. 27, 1663 . 121 - Whitwortb, Mr. Joseph, May 19, 1665 . 182 - Whitehead, Mr. James, Dec. 31, 1679 . . 447 - West, Mrs, Sarah, Feb. 22, 1681 ... 497 xii INDEX TO The Prophet Muggleton to Whitehead, Mr. James, August 30, 1681 . &02 _ . - Wood, Mr. William, Sept. 26, 1681 .. 604 ._ -- Whitehead, Mr. James, August 12, 1684 . 549 - ___ Wheatley, Mrs. Elizabeth, Sept. 24, 1684 553 - Whitehead, Mrs. Priscilla, Sept. 25, 1685 580 _ _ --- Whitehead, Mrs. Mary, Junel, 1686 . . 582 -- - - Whitehead, Mr. James, August 27, 1687 . 595 . - --- Whitehead,' Mrs. Mary, Nov. 17, 1687 . 601 , Yeels, Charles, Thomas Millerd, and John White, August 22, 1681 ..... 499 Wit iil ,1 /isil jioa AN EPISTLE TO THE RECORDER STEEL, OCTOBER 28, 1653. SIR, YOU may remember at the Sessions in the Old Bailey, on October 14, and 15, we had a trial before your honour ; and, sir, you may remember we gave your honour notice before our trial, that you had no commission from God to be the judges of mat- ters of faith concerning God ; for you must under- stand that all spiritual power wholly resides in God's person, or in the person of God, until his pleasure is to communicate it unto his creatures ; whose pleasure it was to make choice of us two only to be the judges of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, because no man clearly knew the Lord until we were commissionated by voice of words from heaven, to declare what the true God is ; yet notwithstanding, your honour, with the jury, gave sentence against us as blasphemers, be- cause we declared Jesus Christ to be the only God, A 2 i and everlasting Father ; and that there was no other God in heaven or in earth but the man Jesus only. Sir, we must tell you, that we cannot break the civil law, but we are made examples in fulfilling of it to the whole world : wherefore whosoever tries us by the law of the land, it is allowed as if he tried his God by the civil law as the Jews did, because we cannot break your law, but fulfil it as aforesaid. Let your honour judge whether the sentence of eternal death upon our accusers be not just ; for we did them no wrong in word or in deed. O They came to our houses, and spake evil things they knew riot, as most men do ; and we, in obedi- ence to the commission of God, returned their blas- phemy upon their own heads, which provoked them with a warrant to bring us before the lord mayor ; who, joining with our blasphemous persecutors, he came under the sentence of eternal death with them. Is it not a marvellous thing, that you that are ma- gistrates should want the spirit of discerning to judge between the law of the Scriptures, and the law of the land? Do you not understand that the civil law in- structs no man in the knowledge of God ; therefore you that are invested with authority from men to judge all manner of accounts concerning the breach of the civil law, you ought not to take upon you to judge prophets, who cannot desire to break your law: for, by the power of Him that sent us, we cannot wrong any man in his person or estate, although they would kill us ; yet amongst you there is sentence given against us to remain six months in prison, for declaring the Man Jesus to be the only God and ever- lasting Father ; which you think is blasphemy. Wherefore once more from the Lord Jesus, we fore- warn you, before it be too late, forthwith to declare unto us, the Lord's messengers, that you disown the verdict to be blasphemy that the jury brought in against us ; which if you disobey, then in obedience unto the commission of the Lord Jesus, with those gentlemen of the jury that are guilty of that unjust sentence, from the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, elect men and angels, we pronounce you cursed and damned, soul and body, to all eternity. JOHN REEVE, and LODOWICKE MUQGLETON, The Two last Witnesses and Prophets, and only Ministers of the everlasting Gospel, by Commission of the Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, God alone, blessed to all Eternity. A Letter presented unto Alderman Fouke, Lord Mayor of London, from the two Witnesses and Prisoners of Jesus Christ, in Newgate, as an eternal Witness unto him ; with a Declaration unto the Recorder Steel, and the Lord Chief Justice Rowles, with the whole Bench and Jury ; and in general, unto all Civil Magistrates and Juries in the World : John Reeve, and Lodowicke Muggleton, the two last spiritual Witnesses, and true Prophets, and only Ministers of the everlasting Gospel, by Commission from the Holy Spirit of the true God, the Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, in one Person, blessed to all Eternity. BY virtue of our commission, received by voice of words, from the glorious mouth of the only true God A 2 upon the throne of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall make manifest unto men, what the foundation is of the power of the civil magistrate, and that he ought not to meddle with spiritual things, which God hath reserved himself, not allowing any man to touch them upon pain of eternal death, but those only by him anointed for that purpose : first, we declare that the Scriptures were given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit ; therefore, except the magistrates were in- spired with the same spirit as those that speak the Scriptures, they ought not to judge any man by them, but ought rather to yield obedience themselves unto holy Writ, or they must perish to eternity. Again, we declare from the Holy Spirit, that since God became flesh, no civil magistrate hath any au- thority from above to be the judge of any man's faith, because it is a spiritual invisible gift from God, that gives a man assurance of everlasting life ; but the magistrate's authority is to judge the civil laws of the land, which is grounded only upon reason ; but the things of eternity are from God, who is from eternity to eternity, therefore faith is the evidence of things hoped for, and reason is judge of things that are visible : as for you that are skilful in the law of rea- son, as soon as you hear an action to be a breach of the law, you understand presently what punishment belongs to the iact ; therefore the Apostle saith, TJie magistrate is the minister of God for good to them that do zce/I, and a terror to the evil doer. Again, we declare from the Lord, that no magistrate, by his power from the law of reason, ought to usurp the law of faith into his authority, because the law of reason is utterly ignorant of the law of faith, the one being carnal, and the other being spiritual ; there- fore, what magistrate soever takes upon him to be the judge of us, who are the messengers of faith in the true God, they are enemies to the Lord Jesus Christ, and shall surely perish to eternity. Again, from the Lord Jesus we forewarn you that are ma- gistrates, before it is too late, that you tread not in the lord mayor's steps, presumptuously to take upon you to judsje this commission of the two-edged sword of God put into our mouths, which, if you are left so to do, it will cut you in sunder from the presence of our God to all eternity ; for our God is a consuming fire, who did pronounce us cursed to eternity, had we not obeyed his voice ; therefore we perfectly know whoever is left, great or small, to speak evil of this commission, which God hath put unto us, by calling it blasphemy, delusion, a devil, or lie ; in so doing, they have sinned against the Holy Ghost, and must perish, soul and body, from the presence of our God, elect men and angels, to all eternity ; for God hath chosen us two only, and hath put the two- edged sword of the Spirit into our mouths, as before- said, that whom we are made to pronounce blessed, are blessed to eternity, and whom we are made to pronounce cursed, are cursed to eternity ; and this power no mortal can take out of our hands, neither will our God any more give such power unto men whilst the world endures. Therefore, you that are judges of this earth, be wise and learned, and meddle with those things which you know in this world only, and call not your God to account at your bar ; for whoever arraigneth a prophet at his judgment-seat, it is all one as arraigning his God, fora prophet com- eth in the name and power of his God ; therefore he that despiseth the prophet, despise th him that sent him. Again, we declare from the Lord Jesus, if any magistrate pretends to be a preacher of the Gospel, he having no commission from our God so to do ; if he preach any more after we forbid him, then we have full power to pronounce the sentence of eternal death upon him, and it is so unrevocable. Again, we declare from the Lord Jesus, that the cause why so many magistrates and ministers must suffer the vengeance of eternal death, is, because with one consent they fight against the true messengers of God, with the temporal law invested upon them by men. Again, woe would have been unto us, if we had come in our own name ; but we know that God sent us, as sure as he sent Moses, the prophets, and the apostles ; and that great authority, as to be judges of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, we only are invested withal : Wherefore, you magis- trates that are not yet under this sentence of eternal death from the Lord Jesus, our counsel is, if you desire blessedness in the life to come, that you would not meddle to be the judges of spiritual things, knowing you. have no commission from the Lord. Remember the counsel of Caiaphas, the high priest, if it be possible, and prevent the lord mayor's eternal curse, rahferi f zb?V, -fiioto i'uo ^J iifo toon* on -towo'i iot ; ^d i!Jo-{ JB totto-juti oi'boO W{ iun I!n ti ; '- iii nr; -,?; bnc 'j. ; Jfiv- ;fh ;f!ifl iBo^iqHjh f 1oj[(ro'if| : >;j-jl. inrxi oril fMn'i'1 -rn:' .af r > / .1 .n The Prophet Reeve s Epistle to his 'Friend, discovering the dark Light of the Quakers ; written in the Year 1654, September 20. Loving Friend, CALLING to mind the letter thou readest to me, which was sent thee out of the country, I am moved to present these lines to the view of thy pon- derous spirit ; for as words of truth, flowing from a real foundation, drew forth humility and love to God and man, from that soul that hath received an hear- ing ear, so likewise thou mayest know the glittering words proceeding from man's carnal wisdom, is that which hath occasioned many men to be exalted above measure, and to imagine himself so essentially united to the Divine Glory, that at length that man hath been so bewitched through the adorations of men and women in deep darkness, with high con- ceits of his own spiritual wisdom, that he hath been willing to deny his creaturely condition, and to em- brace the holy titles and honour of an infinite Creator. Yea, and to say in his heart and tongue also, that there is no spiritual God or personal glory in the least, but what is in man only, notwithstand- ing, as sure as the Lord Jesus liveth, both he and all that is in him must turn into silent death and dust for a moment ; yea, and would so remain unto all eternity, if there were not a distinct personal Majesty living without man, to raise him again to everlasting sensible glory or shame, according to the royal plea- 8 sure of that God, that neither will nor can give his glory to another. > > My dear Friend, Be not deceived with men's crafty words, who have no true spiritual distinction in them ; for if any mortal man have dwelling in him the eternal Spirit, all the motions, thoughts, words and actions of that man must needs be as pure, holy and powerful as God himself, because thou knowest they proceed from a pure, holy, and glorious spirit. But, of the contrary, if thou perceivest a measure of light only abiding in thee, which thou in mercy hast received from an everlasting Jesus without thee, then thou often seest darkness in thee as well as light ; for light entered not into sinners to make them spiritual gods one over another, but shined into them to discover their natural enmity, continually warring against a God of eternal love towards them ; and not only so, but to prevent also their former darkness from tyrannizing in them for ever, yea, and to consolate their elect brethren by their spiritual experiences, "-j Wherefore, from a divine gift which I have freely received from an unerring Spirit, I say unto thee, that those men which labour to persuade their hearers, that if they diligently harken to the light that is in them, they may attain to such a power, as to be dead in this body from all kind of inward darkness, sin, or evil, have uttered the falsest doctrine that ever was declared to men. Moreover, if the light of life eternal be thy guide, thou must needs know then, it was neither the justifying light of Christ within man, no, or the spirit of Christ without man, that moved those men to speak or write to the 9 people ; but it was their own lying imagination which hurried them about to beget proselytes to themselves in the man Christ Jesus's stead, who alone is God over all, blessed for ever and ever. Amen. He that is born of God sinneth not ; that is, he is not left to his own heart, to commit the unpardonable sin of unbelief in the true God, in despising the spirit of Christ Jesus, to be the only Lord God of his salva- tion. He that believeth shall be saved, but he that be- lieveth not is condemned already ; not because he hath not believed in a God, or Christ that is within him, but because he hath not believed in a personal God or Christ that is without him, whose Divine Majesty is crowned with such immortal, bright, burning glory, that if he did not veil his fiery nature within his own blessed body, the glory of it is so transcen- dently infinite, that he in a moment would consume all created beings to powder. He that committed that sin of calling God a liar, which is the sin of not believing in our Lord Jesus Christ as aforesaid, orhe that maketh glorious pretences of unfeigned love to Christ and his tender-hearted people, and yet secretly lieth under the power of carnal filthiness ; such a man is not only of his father the devil, (cursed Cain) but he also is a very devil himself. He thai saith he hath no sin in him, is a liar, and the truth is not in him ; that is, he that saith Christ is so powerfully risen in him, that all motions, thought and desire of sin against God or man, is perfectly done away, that man is an horrible liar, and a deadly enemy to all humble and broken hearted saints ; for their natural rebelli- ous warring against the light within them, and the Lord of Glory without them. Oh ! my precious friend, for whom my soul spiritually travelleth, till thou art firmly established with glorious things which B 10 are eternal, not with empty notions proceeding from an imaginary God or Christ within men, only which with Syrenian songs is very pleasing to the carnal ear, which may delude some undiscerning spirits for a season, nor with pharisakal looks, sighs and groans, to be seen of men, which is nothing else but the effects of men's crafty words and gestures proceeding from man's fleshly wisdom, which is abominable in the sight of our God, who is the Lord Jesus Christ in the eternal heavens above the stars. My belated Frie*d, Give me leave a little to reason with thee, about things of the greatest concernment : what excellent truths above other men hast thou heard from the chief speakers of the Quakers ? didst thou ever hear them speak to the purpose ? or speak at all of any God or Christ, but what is in man only ? or didst thou ever hear them speak of a bodily glory and misery to come sensibly to be enjoyed by the saints in the highest heavens, and to be endured by the serpents in this world at the day of eternal ac- counts ? or dost thou see the image or likeness of the true Jesus in that ministry ? the true and living Jesus rejected not the company of publicans and sinners, even when his light appeared not in them ; but on the contrary, do they not rashly condemn those men that soberly oppose them, and shun the company of those that are not of their opinion, as serpents ; much like unto those Jiypocrites of old, who said, Stand farther off, for we are more holy than you. Moreover, in all their speakings and writings to the people, do they not make a grand idol of the word Light, and occasion men to worship 11 it as their only God ; as if mere words were to be adored without a person, or worshipped within the bodies of sinful man as a God : or as if those that en- joy true light in them, have such a measure of God in them, that they stand in no need of any God without them in the least. My dear Friend) \ Thou knowest men of unstable spirits, child- like or rather fool-like, are easily taken with every wind of doctrine ; but if thou hast a spirit of true discerning in thee, thou wilt be made thoroughly then to try the spirits and doctrines of men, whether they be of God or no, before thou embrace them ; having been in the fire of the devil already, I hope thou hast gained experience. Wherefore, for thy clearer sight concerning of the fallacy of all speakers, which say the Lord Jehovah, or Jesus, sent them, I shall give some discovering characters ; he that saith the everlasting spiritual God or Father became not a perfect man of unspotted flesh, blood, and bone, was never moved by the spirit of God or Christ, to preach or speak to the people ; or he that saith, that spirit which is dwelling in the glorious body of Christ Jesus, is not the alone everlasting Father, God and Man in one distinct person glorified, is none of Christ's messenger ; or he that saith God is not in the form of a man, but is an infinite spiiit essentially abiding in all creatures, that man is a liar, and the truth is not in him ; or he that saith Christ's godhead died not in the flesh, and did not quicken and raise his manhood to life again, and in that body of flesh and bone, did not ascend into a kingdom of glory in another world, the deep things B2 12 of God is utterly hid from that man ; or he that saith all mankind proceeded from the loins of the first man Adam, is ignorant of the two Scripture seeds (namely) the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent, therefore he is none of Christ's send- ing ; or he that saith mens souls do not die with their bodies, and sleep together in the dust of the earth, till the Lord Jesus, by the mighty power of his word speaking only, do raise them unto life again at the last day, that man is in deep darkness, not knowing the Scriptures, or the power of God ; or he that says mens bodies only perish (and not the souls) will be saved at the last, that man is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Dear Friend, Thus far was I moved to write unto thee, as an eternal witness between us, when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened. If thou ^eest good, thou mayst present this epistle to the view of those men called Quakers ; not that I can expect a good issue from any of them, unless God hath endowed them with hearing ears, unjudging, meek and patient spirits. Thine in all eternal excellencies, ' " i -i ^ r ^.i- 7 JOHN REEVE. Stplember 20, I6M. An Epistle of John Reeve to Christopher Hill. IN the eternal true. Jesus, my soul salutes you all : I have received your love-tokens, which is a vessel of cyder and a sixpence : my joy in the Lord is encreased by your communion with each other. I trust to the praise of his glory, his light and love shall abound in you more and more, for the strength- ening you in the inward man, and confounding all gainsayers in your outward conversations : neither I nor my wife are in perfect health ; especially my wife, who is very ill, and has been so about six weeks: so hoping of your welfare to his infinite grace, I commend you, and remain your friend and brother in Christ Jesus. Our elder brother. JOHN REEVE, P. S. Brother Christopher, if my mother comes up, pray tell her she need not trouble herself about any more goods at present, but a bolster and a little more covering for the bed ; and as for that you sent for, you shall have it next week, God willing. An Epistle of John Reeve to Christopher Hill, dated London, July 17, 17^7- Loving Friend in pure truth, I RECEIVED the six shillings and the hat, and the eighteen-pence you sent me as a token. I am not a little joyed for our brother Martyn's 14 likelihood of recovery, with your wife's safe delivery. But my chiefest rejoycing for you all is, your reality to the things you have received from our ever-loving Father, which is the living Jesus in a bodily form ; this is a riddle to your elect brethren, even through the whole world, unless it be to a few. Oh ! blessed are you that you are of that number, unto whom it is in some measure unfolded ; for by this means you are delivered from all carnal bonds of outward forms, and are sate down in peace through inward enjoy- ments, which none can take from you. Brother, I shall be careful in what your mother- in-law requireth. Thus not naming any more, but my tender love to all you that enjoys this truth, I commit you to the most High, and remain eternally yours in all righteousness, JOHN REEVE. P. S. My wife's kind love to you all. The Prophet Muggleton's Blessing to Mrs. Elizabeth Dickinson of Cambridge , dated August 28, 1658. Dear Friend, in the eternal Truth, Elizabeth Dickinson / my Love remembered unto you and your Husband, as being in the same Faith also. I AM very well persuaded of your eternal hap- piness, and I would willingly say unto you, as our Lord did in another case to the woman that was troubled with a bloody issue, who said within herself, that if she could but touch his garment, she should be made whole ; and according to her faith it was unto her, for she felt in herself that she was healing of her plague, and not only so, but she had assurance of everlasting life, which was far beyond the health of her body. Which faith of hers did draw virtue out of our Lord, which made him to say, that virtue was gone out of him ; and he looked round about to see her that had done this thing, and he said unto her, daughter, thy faith has made thee whole, go in peace, and be whole of thy plague ; as if our Lord should say it was her own faith that did fetch virtue out of him, and it was her own faith that did heal herself; as if he had no hand in the thing, he was but the object of her faith ; it was her faith that did draw that from the object ; and so it is with you, John Reeve and myself, the chosen Witnesses of the Spirit, we having the commission and burden of the Lord upon us. We are made the object of your faith, and as your faith is strong in this commission of the Spirit, so shall the virtue flow from it to your eternal rest and peace, so that you shall be perfectly whole as to the relation to the fears of eternal death, as that woman was in her body of the bloody issue ; and your faith being in me, as the object in relation to the commis- sion of the Spirit, it is your faith will make you whole ; for my faith is in you concerning your eternal happiness. Let yours be in me, and you shall fare no worse than I do ; for you shall have the end of your faith, even the salvation of your soul, as well as I ; and that you may be sure, I do declare you one of the blessed of the Lord to all eternity. But as for those fears that do arise in you from the weakness of your nature, or from a distemper in nature, I cannot promise you deliverance from it, but it is very pro- bable that the assurance of eternal life will mitigate and weaken the other. I thought good to write these few lines unto you for farther confirmation of your eternal happiness after death. No more at present, but rest your faithful friend and true prophet of the Lord, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. An Epistle from the Prophet Muggleton to Christopher Hill, dated January 2, 1660. This concerning Claxton to be given with Care to his Loving Friend, Christopher Hilly at Maidstone in Kent. Loving Brother, Christopher Hill, in the Spirit of this Commission, and to all the rest of the Believers of this Commission at Maidstone in Kent, I send greeting. I WOULD have you to seriously mind and consider these lines as follows. There hath of late days happened a great deal of difference between some of the believers of this com- mission here in London, and Lawrence Claxton ; whereby the believers have complained to me, that Lawrence Claxton hath carried himself so proud and lord-like over others that have been of a lower com- prehension than himself ; likewise he hath been so full of filthy covetous avarice, which hath not had so much as the very colour or show of natural righteous- ness in it. So I, taking these things into considera- tion, did send my daughter to tell him, that if he did exercise his spiritual pride any more, that I would 17 take away his commission from him ; which he at the first did seem very scornful at, as if he could stand by virtue of John Reeve's words without me, as did afterwards appear ; but yet concerning my daughter's words concerning my authority, he did seem hypocri- tically to submit, and to acknowledge himself to be but a servant unto me, and unto the believers of this commission. But it hath appeared since to be other- wise, and that there was a cursed pride that lay in his heart ; and for that purpose he hath written a book, called The lost Sheep found ; where in the latter part of that book, he hath proudly exalted himself in John Reeve's place ; for he hath quite excluded me out of the commission ; so that there is none now but John Reeve and he that hath the spiritual commis- sion ; therefore you shall find in that book, and more especially in the epistle of that book : whereas he doth call it very often our commission ; so there is no true confidence, as he says, but in our commission : his meaning is John Reeve and himself, for he hath quite excluded me, and hath gotten himself into John Reeve's chair and place ; therefore I would have you seriously to mind and peruse that part of the book which doth treat upon the commission. For I sup- pose you have the books sent unto you, as well as others have ; there you shall find a great deal of spi- ritual pride assuming to himself those high titles which never did belong to him, neither did John Reeve, nor I, ever give to him ; which books of his, with other words and passages that hath happened of late, hath made an everlasting difference between us two in this world ; therefore I would have you, and all the believers of this commission, to understand, that I have utterly disowned that part of the book, that doth treat of the commission ; and for that pur- C 18 .pose 'I did semJ my daughter to burn some of them before his face. Likewise I have utterly disowned Lawrence Clax- ton, for ever being a messenger or bishop, or servant any more unto this commission. Neither shall I own any thing that he shall say or do in reference to this commission. Therefore I do exhort you, and all the rest of the believers, not to stumble or stagger in your faith concerning Claxton, as if your happiness of eter- nal life did depend upon believing of him to be a mes- senger or a bishop ; for though he should be cut off to eternity, yet is the foundation of God sure and true ; that is the commission of God, as it was given to John Reeve and Lodowicke Muggleton, by voice of words fmm God ; but as for Claxton, he had his commission from man ; therefore man can take it away again ; for he hath stood all this while but by my assistance, and at my will and pleasure. There- fore as long as he kept himself in obedience as a ser- vant unto this commission, he had my authority and assistance on his side also. I did bear with many infirmities of bis nature, but this spiritual pride of his hath been much like unto the lost angel, which thought himself as fit to rule and govern as his Maker was ; nay, more fit, and therefore he would have been in God's room and place, that he might have governed the holy angels. So likewise this Lawrence Claxton, not thinking it enough to be saved by this commission, or to be a bare messenger or servant to it, but hath, angel-like, aspired so high as to get into John Reeve's chair or place, and so he is now become the chief commis- sioner, which is far above a servant or messenger ; therefore he doth very often in that book call it our commission, as if John Reeve and he were the only 19 commissioners, and that I, which God gave to be John Reeve's mouth, is quite thrust out, so that I am made but a fellow-labourer with him. in this com- mission. But Lawrence Claxton shall know that there is yet a prophet in Israel that hath power over him. For as John Reeve was like unto Elijah, so am I as Elisha, and that his place was but as Gehazi, and could stand no longer than my will and pleasure was, because the burden of the Lord lyeth wholly upon me, which is the commission of the Lord. Therefore my counsel and advice to you all of this faith is, that you would stand stedfast in your faith unto the doctrine of the true God, which hath been delivered unto you by John Reeve and myself, and that we two are the last Prophets and Witnesses unto the true God the Man Christ Jesus. Again, my counsel and advice unto you, and the rest of the believers there about you is, that you would allow Lawrence Claxton no more maintenance weekly as you have done formerly ; but let him be^- take himself to some employment in the world, as well as the rest of the believers do ; for I do not see it fit that he and the serpent his wife should be main- tained in idleness and pride ; for there is no more use for him in this commission ; therefore to what pur- pose should you allow him any maintenance, which is made lower than yourselves in this commission. For I have utterly disowned him upon any such an account, as to be a messenger or bishop, or servant anymore unto this commission. For I shall not own whatsoever he shall write or speak concerning this commission any more ; for it will be well if he have so much faith in this commission as will save his own soul. Therefore I should rather advise you to pre- C 2 20 serve some part of that which you did allow Claxton weekly towards the re-printing of that book of ours which hath the dark print, and towards the printing of the llth of the Revelations, for I shall make as much haste of it as lean; because, I suppose, that this will be the last that ever will be set forth by this spiritual commission : for I cannot conceive that there can, or need be any more spoken concerning this spiritual commission, than hath been related in all our writings, and will now be in this of the llth of the Revelations. I speak this, because there is very few left of the dark print ; for there hath been more enquiring after them of late than formerly, because that book hath the most highest and heavenly mysteries contained in it, but that the print is so bad, that it doth make every one almost weary of reading it. Therefore my judgment is, that it would be bet- ter work, and more glory to God, and honour to this commission, to give something weekly, for or towards the printing of that book again ; and let Claxton shift in the world as others have done before him ; for you are not bound now I have disowned him, not to look no more upon him than you are to look upon the weakest believers of this commission ; no, nor so much neither. Therefore let not your thoughts be troubled con- cerning Claxton ; for most part of you did believe the commission before Claxton came, and will do after he is gone ; therefore as he came to this commission by man, therefore by man is his commission taken from him again ; and so your burden, which he hath laid upon you, may be taken off you. I would desire you to read this letter to all the believers of this commission there about you, though 21 some of them are unknown to me, with my love to yourself and mother Wylde, and Martyn the thatcher, and Martyn the tanner, and his wife, and his daughter, and all the rest that have a love to this commission. I desire you to let me hear from you as soon as you can conveniently. Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, The last true Prophet and Witness unto the true God, the Man Christ Jesus. P. S. You may send to me in Great Trinity-lane, next door to the sign of the Black-Boy and Hand, London, Jan. 2, 1660. An Epistle of the Prophet Lodowicke Muggletons to Christopher Hill, fyc. To his Loving Friend, Christopher Hill, and to all the rest that love this Commission, or that are in the Faith of it. February 5, 1660. I RECEIVED your letter, being dated Jan. 0, but I having other occasions of late than ordinary, so that I could not send you an answer ; because, since I have disowned Lawrence Claxton, there hath been more resorting unto me than formerly ; for there hath been some strangers that seemeth to have great affec- tion to the doctrine of this commission, and some of them have some things of this world considerably, which hath promised me to be some assistance unto me in the re-printing of the dark printed book again ; 22 which hath encouraged me to go on with it ; there- fore I have almost prepared it for the press ; which, if the printer have but a care to do it according to the directions which is given him, it will be a most excel- lent piece of work ; for there is the most deepest mys- teries contained in it as ever was penned by man these thirteen hundred years, or ever will be again ; there- fore there is much looking after them now a late, but there is never a one to be had but that which I must print the others by. I hope it will be ordered so, that it will be very delightsome to read, so that peo- ple may the more clearly understand those deep mys- teries contained in it ; but as for that which I am about, will not be ready for the press yet a while, though I have almost gone through the heads of the chapters. Yet I must write it again before it is fit for the press, which will take a great deal of time, which I cannot spare as yet, because this dark print will take up some time in the correcting of it fit for the press, and the looking to it when the printer is a doing it, that it may not be spoiled as it was before. I do intend to put it into the press in a fortnight or three weeks at the farthest ; therefore 1 desire you, that have faith in it, if you can, to raise forty or fifty shillings towards it in three weeks or a month ; but if you cannot do so much, let it be what you can ; only let me hear before, and then I shall order things otherwise here in London, &c. I do find in your let- ter as if your hearts were troubled because of your meetings being put down, and the oaths to be im- posed upon you. But as for your meetings being put down, what need you care ? Cannot you live by your own faith for a time, without meeting together on those days called Sundays ? Cannot you see and talk with one another as you see occasion on the 23 week or working- days, for what you suffer upon any such account, when as this commission layeth no such bond upon you, but rather to the contrary ; for as long as the powers of the nation doth forbid you to go to any meetings, do you obey them, and keep all at home ; but if the powers of the nation doth com- mand you to go to church to their public worship, then I say you are to suffer what penalty the powers of the nation will lay upon you, rather than to wor- ship in the house of Baal. For this worship of the Spirit, which is now, hath no visible forms of worship at all belonging to it, neither is there any necessity for any public meetings at all. So that as for your meetings being put down, there is no cause of trouble or sorrow at all, but rather a cause of joy. But the oaths which will be imposed upon you, may cause matter of trouble upon your spirits, because I cannot say that any believer of this commission can, with safety and peace to his own conscience, take any of them ; both because if you take an oath of allegi- ance, which doth seem to be the most easiest oath, yet there you are bound, if needs be, to fight for the present power, or else you must break your oath ; so that there is great inconveniency in taking that oath to a tender conscience. And as for the oath of supremacy, it cannot be un- derstood by those that have faith in the true God, that the king is the supreme head of the church of God, or that he is their defender of their faith ; for the powers of the nation if they did know of it, they would rather, instead of defending and upholding it, overthrow and destroy it ; but those that are of the same faith of the church of England, the king is the supreme head of that church, and the defender of their faith. Therefore those people that are of the 24 faith of the church of England, Scotland, and Ireland, what need they to scruple the taking of the oath of supremacy, seeing they are of the same church as the powers of the nation is of, as aforesaid. But this oath was especially intended and made for the Pa- pists in Queen Elizabeth's time and days, but now it is laid as a snare upon all the free-born people of England, that they might find out all those whose consciences are tender, which dare not swear at all, as there are many here in London that will not swear at all ; but I confess that you that live in the country are to be pitied more upon that account than we that are here in the city ; because here a man may go in a crowd and never be missed ; but in the country there is no place for a man to hide his head, but they will find him out. So that my advice to you is, that you would take no oaths at all, not that hath relation to fighting or unto public worship : for how can you fight for to defend the king, when as you are not to defend yourselves, but rather to suffer what the pre- sent powers doth lay upon you ; only this, I would advise you to pay according to your abilities, what taxes soever the powers of the nation doth lay upon you, whether it be by way of tithes or any other taxes whatsoever, so that Ccesar may have the things that are Caesar's? and God the things that are God's ; therefore I shall give you an example of some of the Quakers here in London concerning this thing. There was in the time of the late troubles, con- cerning those fifty monarchy-men, search made into every house, which was suspected for arms, whereby they took many of the Baptists and of the Quakers upon suspicion ; upon which the Quakers were car- ried before a justice, which justice proposed the oath unto them: one of the Quakers answered, saying, 25 " We cannot swear to defend the king, for we cannot " defend ourselves, much less to fight to defend ano- " ther ; but this, said he, we are willing to do, to pay " what taxes the king shall lay upon us to the utmost " of our abilities ; and if the king will take those " goods we have, he shall freely have them, for to " swear for him we cannot do it." The justice being so convinced at their sincerity in that thing, sent them away without taking any oath at all, and bid them go home to their own houses in peace ; but on the next Sunday following, these same men would needs go to their meeting again, notwithstanding the pro- clamation of the king was against all private meet- ings, yet their zeal was so great, or else wilful, that they could not live by that light within them ; but must needs meet together, contrary to the king's proclamation ; and so the same men were taken at their private meeting, and carried to Newgate, and there they remain to this day ; so that now their sufferings is rather for evil-doing, than for well- doing : seeing they are not required to meet together on the Sabbath-day, neither by God nor man. No more at present concerning these things aforesaid, but exhorting you to hold stedfast in the faith of this commission unto the death, that you may receive that crown of eternal glory which is set before you, which is the knowledge of the true God, and the right devil, which hath not been so clearly manifested since the world began, as it hath been in this spiritual and last witnesses of the Spirit. No more at present, but I rest your brother 4n the true faith of the true God, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. P. S. We are all well in London, and there is none D 26 of the faith here that I know of that have had the oaths propounded to them as yet, I suppose because the number is few. Your Brother Andrew is well, but as for your brother Ralph, I have not seen him ever since he came from you out of the country. I pray let me hear from you as soon as you can conve- niently concerning that business in the beginning of the letter. London, February 5, 1660. Give this with care. An Epistle of the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Chris- topher Hilt, Feb. 25, 1660. Brother Christopher, and all the rest of the Faith in Kent, I RESERVED your letter, and am glad to hear that you are so well satisfied in your minds concerning the oaths, and the other things therein contained. But as for the money I made mention, that cannot be raised, only twenty shillings you say will be raised, with their names that doth give it. I am very well satisfied with that, for I am very loath to be so much burthensome unto those of the faith in the country, therefore I shall press the more upon some here in London, because it will arise to a great deal of money more for the printing than I thought it would ; but I suppose I shall raise friends that will enable me, and I suppose about twelve days hence the printer will begin to put it into the press, therefore you may send the twenty shillings according as you have expressed in your letter- Also I understand by your letters, that Lawrence Claxton hath sent you a letter, wherein he doth declare, that he is the same in Revelation as he ever was, and thinks by pen it cannot be declared what the difference was ; but when he shall see your faces, he shall make appear what the differences is : he did send a letter into Cambridgeshire, which was much to the same purpose as yours was, only there was some expressions in it, which expressions are such like as these. Those unheard transactions concern- ing him, which he could not express, but when he did see their faces he would open the difference more clearer unto them. Therefore I would have you observe and consider that his pen and his tongue together, could set forth his spiritual pride and lordliness, with some other practices which hath made this great difference, but his pen is not able, nor his tongue neither, to be humble in his mind, and to see his spiritual pride and filthy covetous avarice, for if he could, his pen might as easily declare what the ground and cause of all this difference is as well and better, than when he shall see your faces ; but he doth think by his goodly words and presence, as being the same in Reve- lation as ever he was, to overpower your spirits, that you might think that the difference between him and I, but that it might easily be reconciled. Likewise your desire is, that I would send you word whether you may relieve him as a believer or no; - My an- swer is this, that you may not relieve him, neither as a messenger nor as a believer of this commission, because he is an excommunicated person of the com- missioner himself, and is separated from having any union with me in spiritual matters. Therefore you that are believers in or of this commission, ought D 2 not to have any society with him in spiritual matters : let his pretence of revelation be ever so much, you are not to mind him nor regard it, for it is nothing worth unto you, for what the commissioner doth not own, you are not to have any regard unto it. Therefore let not his pretences of being the same in revelation, nor his goodly words be any way a means to trouble your spirits about it ; for he is cast out of heaven, even as the angel was frotn the pre- sence of God and the holy angel into this earth ; so even is Claxton cast out of heaven ; that is, from having any communion with the prophet or commis- sioner of the Spirit, or with those believers of the Spirit, so that as the angels was cast out, not only from the presence of God, but also from the pre- sence of the holy angels ; so likewise he is not only cast out from the presence of the prophet, but from the presence of the believers also, and as the angel was cast into the earth, so likwise is he cast into the world, and let the world relieve him, for that is large enough, and as for his revelation, if he hath so much in himself as will bear up his own soul into eternal happiness it is well, but nobody else will be ever a whit the better for it ; for I would not have you so ignorant as to think, that after a man is ex- communicated or cast out of this commission, though his understanding be greater, and his language more glorious than in any one of the same faith, yet he that hath the least knowledge in a commission is to be minded and respected of all those of the same faith. But on the contrary, if a man have never such great parts, if he be disowned or cast out by the commissioner, the believers are bound to disown him out of their society, and not to relieve him as a 29 believer of this commission ; only this I shall give the liberty to do, that if he comes amongst you, you may eat or drink with him, or give him lodging as you would unto a stranger, but not to mind any of his sayings with reference to his being a believer, or to what I have done concerning him : I say in these things you are not to mind him nor regard what he shall say or do of that nature. No more at present, but expecting to hear from you as soon as you can, I rest your Brother, in the true faith of Jesus, the only true God, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, February 25, 1660. A Copy of a Letter written by the prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to pull down the high Exaltation of Law- rence Claxton. Dated Jrom London, December, 25, 1660. ' I HAVING seriously considered your many foul, proud and covetous actions since you came to the belief of this commission, but more especially of late, since you have been allowed some means from the believers of this commission, which have made you so lord-like, that you are grown so spiritually proud, so that now you are gotten, in your own con- ceit, to be the chief man in this spiritual commission ; 30 so that your pride hath grown by degrees so high until you have gotten to sit in John Reeve's chair and place, so that you are got up as high as you can ; therefore it is high time for you to fall. Therefore, seeing that occasion and offences will come, that the secrets of the heart may be made manifest, therefore I do see a great providence in that business of mason's wife, for that hath been an occasion to bring forth those differences which have been among the believers of this commission * like- O wise it hath been a means to insearch the bottom of your heart ; for ever since the beginning of this dif- ference, after that you did understand that your com- mission was like to be taken away from you, you have strove with all your might, both with saint and devil, for to uphold your authority without me ; therefore you have made use of your beloved Frances and Ananias, and, Saphira-like, you have consulted with that venomous serpent your wife, and have made her your council in all spiritual matters, and that I did perceive by the serpent your wife, in that she did show Mr. Hatter and Mr. Hudson, that place of Scripture concerning Moses and Miriam, which I know she could not do of herself, except she had heard your judgment of it, which conceit of yours on that place could do you little good, only this your judgment on that Scripture, with your conti- nual consultation with the devil your wife, hath en- raged your wife so far as to vaunt herself against the believers of this commission, and against me ; for which I do pronounce your wife cursed and damned to eternity, though she hath been damned by John Reeve already, therefore I have set to my seal, that John Reeve's damnation shall be true upon her. As for yourself, because you have strove to main- 31 tain your authority without me, and for that pur- pose you have written this book, wherein you have quite excluded me, and have made the commission only John Reeve's and yours, for your writings do shew forth the very pride of your heart ; therefore I do declare against that book, and against you, that I do renounce and disown you upon any such account, as to be a messenger, bishop, or a servant, any more to this commission ; neither shall you write any more, or speak any more in the behalf of this commission, for I shall utterly disown whatever you do or say of that nature ; neither shall the believers of this com- mission allow you any maintenance, neither in Cam- bridgeshire nor Kent, upon any such account, as looking upon you to be a messenger ; for you shall become as one of the least of believers of the com- mission, and you shall become a reproach to saint and devil, which shame and reproach shall strike as a loathsome leprosy unto you during your life; for your shall never come to any honour of this commis- sion any more, for you have had your last that ever you shall have in this world, because you shall know that your have kicked your heel against your master, and that there is a prophet yet in Israel, and hath power over you ; notwithstanding you have made yourself equal with John Reeve, you shall know that John Reeve was as Elijah, and that I am in the place of Elisha, and that you are in the place of Gehazi. This is my resolution. Written by Lodowicke Muggleton, the last true Pro- phet and Witness unto the true God, the Man Christ Jesus in glory. , ; n '.V December 25, 1660. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. A Copy of a Letter, written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to his loving Friend Christopher Hill, at Maidstone, in Kent, Jan. 2, 1661. Give this with Care. Loving Friend, Christopher Hill, MY love remembered unto you and to all the rest of the believers of the commission of the Spirit there with you. These are to let you understand, that I received your letter, dated November the 29th, 1661, with your kind token ; and the eighteen shillings in money ; and it came very seasonable, because I have been at more expence of late than ordinary ; for my daughter Sarah hath .been sick of the yellow jaundice ever since, and doth remain so still, which was the cause I did return no answer all this while ; because her death hath been much feared by some in London, and there is no certainty yet that she will escape, though she is not so extreme sick as she was. Also, there hath been another trouble upon me to add unto the other, which is this ; I being a long liver in the parish, it fell to my lot to be chosen scavenger, and I must either hold or fine ; and if I should have held I might have lost nothing, but I should have been entangled with oaths; therefore I rather chose to pay down the fine, which was twenty shillings, before the parish would choose another in my room. Now I shall write a few lines concerning some par- ticular things in your letter. The first thing is concerning some that do profess an acknowledgment of this commission, but do not live the life of it ; because they go to publick meet- ings, which indeed cannot stand with true faith in a commission. For, look what laws a commission doth set up are to be observed by the believers of it. ; and the laws of this commission of the Spirit are spi- ritual, and do worship God in spirit and truth, without any visible forms of worship, as the worship- pers of Baal have ; for though there was an outward, visible form of worship set up by Moses and the Apostles, and they were to be observed in their times and places, because they had commissions from God so to do ; and the believers in their commissions were happy in yielding obedience unto them : but when public worship is set up by men, without a commission from God, it becomes a will-worship and idolatry, a thing which is an abomination unto the Lord. Therefore, whosoever shall make a show, or a profession of faith in this commission of the Spirit, and yet go to worship with the idolaters of the nation, I shall not look upon any such person to have any true faith in the true God, nor in this commission of the Spirit ; neither can they have any true peace, nor the assurance of everlasting life ; for he that will not deny himself and take up his cross for truth's sake is not worthy of it : and I am sure, there is as little suffering by the believers of this commission for their faith sake, as ever there was of the other two commissions. Again, this commission of the Spirit doth lay as little, and less bonds upon the believers of it than any of the other two above mentioned did ; for this E 34 commission requires nothing but faith in the heart, which works by love, without any outward ordi- nances of visible worship, which is a great burthen to bear to those that are under them. It would ask a whole sheet of paper to clear this thing ; but I suppose, that they which are truly en- lightened in the power of the three several commis- sions, may understand and be satisfied in what I have said in this letter, and in those books of ours that you have amongst you, concerning the worship that doth belong unto the three several commissions, they all of them differing one from th other, neither is the one bound to observe the other ; but every com- mission, and the worship belonging to it, is to be observed by the believers of it, in its time and place, when it is in being, and not when it is out of date. The other thing, which is of concernment in your letter, is, that you have a monthly contribution, and your desire is to have my judgment in it, which is very pleasing unto me, and I do like it very well, it being a good work, and I am glad that you are so free amongst yourselves ; because it was always against my nature and spirit to lay any engagement and burthen upon the believers of this commission, neither shall I : but in regard you are free to lay it on yourselves, it being sure a good work, I do freely give you my consent unto it ; therefore do as your own freedom gives you leave and prosper. So resteth your friend in the true faith. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, Jan. 2, 166 1. My kind love remembered unto yourself and all the true believers in those parts in general, as if it were in particular to every person. *35 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, near Chesterfield, bearing date February 13, 1660. Loving Friend^ THOUGH unknown to me in the natural or visible sight of the body, yet by that invisible discern- ing which I have of your spirit by those few words which you have made mention of in your letter, wherein I find that the spirit of truth hath blown upon your heart, in that it hath made you willing for to seek and to enquire after the knowledge of these two witnesses. Therefore I shall give you a word or two to inform you who these two witnesses are, and in some measure how their testimony is received : there- fore I would have you to mind and observe these lines as followeth. ;i.'IB :O 0'I:J That as there are three that bear record in Heaven, The father, the word and the spirit ; and these three are one, that is, these three are one distinct person in the form of a man ; so likewise there is three that doth bear witness on earth, namely, the spirit, water and blood, and these three do agree in one. Now observe, those three upon earth, are these three commissions which should be acted forth upon the stage of this world. Which three commissions are these. r- ./ f o'; ( j c')3njiw pvro First. The commission of Moses and the prophets. *E 36* Secondly. The commission of Christ and the apostles. Thirdly. The commission of the Holy Spirit, which commission of the Spirit is now extant in the world at this day, and hath been here in England these nine years, and the sound of it hath gone through many parts of Christendom, as in this part of England, Scotland, Ireland, New England, Virginia, Barba- does, and many other places, I will not here mention ; but the doctrine of the commission of the Spirit hath been very little received in the world ; but the most that hath received it, is here in London, and in Cam- bridge-shire, and in Kent. ;; fr.vo. In these three places there is a few that is very well grounded in the belief of this spiritual commis- sion ; but one cause why there is so few that doth re- ceive it, is because there is no visible forms of worship belonging to this spiritual commission, but doth alto- gether consist of the knowledge of the true God and the right devil, with the place and nature of Heaven and Hell, with the forms and nature of angels and the mortality of the soul, i r\u ^iv.U a^iV? \w& \ Vi'uvv?. b\\ ', And upon these six principles in the knowledge of them dependeth all the eternal happiness of man. t \\ V'i - j^O m^Therefore because it will be too tedious to write all these things, I have sent you a book ; these books that were written by these two witnesses; they are bound up together, and they will inform you who those wo witnesses are, with their names, and the k? no .liii 87* voice of God that spake to them, and their messages, with their doctrine, which they should set forth with many deep mysteries which is hard to be under- stood. Likewise I have sent you some books of his which he hath written in behalf of this commission ; and as for the names of those two prophets, you will find them in the books, and the place where they live ; only one of them, since the book of the Mortality of the Soul was written, is dead ; namely, John Reeve, but Lodowicke Muggleton is yet living in Great Trinity- lane, over against one Mills's, a Brown Baker. t There is in that book, which is bound, all that was written by the two witnesses and prophets themselves; and there is laid down in those writings the true grounds of all divinity, which doth consist in the knowledge of the true God, and the right devil, with the knowledge of the two seeds, is those two keys that doth open the gates both of Heaven and hell , and there is none now in this world, that hath the keys given unto them, but these two prophets and witnesses of the Spirit only. Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, The last true Witness and Prophet unto the Alan Christ Jesus, glorified. *38 It was your lot to employ a man for to buy those books which hath been damned by the prophet's daughter, some eight or nine months since, for op- posing of those books ; and the revelation of his commission ; therefore the man, remembering these books, and the sentence, will neither undertake to cany them, nor to lay down the money for them ; because he hath a prejudice both against the books and the persons that wrote them. Therefore I shall desire Mrs. Griffith for to take some course that these books may be conveyed to you, and let her give or- ders how they may be sent, and how the money may be conveyed to her again ; for then I shall desire Mrs. Griffith to set her name to the direction of this letter. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. 85 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet LodowicJte Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter of Chesterfield, Feb. 16, 1661. Friend Dorothy Carter, I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date February 3, 166 1, wherein I perceive you have re- ceived some books, and a letter from me, whereby you have received some refreshment of heart, and so understand in some measure those great and high mysteries contained in them ; and having one daugh- ter which is partaker with you in the faith of this commission of the Spirit, which I am very glad to hear of, desiring that your faith and hers may grow to perfection here, and to eternal glory hereafter r and I have so much the more hopes of it because there is so few of you, because truth hath but few oi its side, nor never had, because the world is given unto reason, the devil's hands, he being the elder brother : but faith the younger brother, his kingdom, is an everlasting kingdom ; but a strait and narrow gate or way that leadeth to life eternal ; for there is but one truth, the way, and the life ; and there is no finding this way without a guide ; and there can be no true guide except he knoweth the way himself; and none can know the way to life eternal, but he that hath a commission from God : he knowing the deep mysteries of the true God, and the right devil, doth shew them to the seed of faith, by declaring by word and pen, that strait and narrow way that lead- eth unto life, which very few do find, because there is but few ambassadors and shepherds chosen of God ; that is, one prophet at a time, one Jesus, one E2 40 would have you to know, that there can be no sin- ning against the Holy Ghost, but in the time of a commission; for if a man be sent of God, he is sent by the Holy Ghost, and whosever doth despise that man, that is sent of God, he despiseth him that sent him, and so he cometh to commit that unpardonable sin, which will never be forgiven him in this world, nor in the world to come : and this was committed in the days of Christ, and in the apostles commission, as you may know by these words of Christ to the Jews, when, as they said, he cast out devils by Belzebub the prince of devils. Here they called the holy Spirit of Jesus a devil, and this was that sin against the Holy Ghost. And so you may see in Acts, the apostles and Stephen amusing the rulers of the Jews, saying, you always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did ; and this resisting of the Holy Ghost was that unpardonable sin. And there have been more men and women that have sinned against the Holy Ghost within these ten years, than there hath those thirteen hundred and fifty years ; for I know of near upon a thousand that have sinned that sin, for which they have been damned to eternity ; for which we have given them the sentence of condemnation for no other sin, but for the sin against the Holy Ghost, in that they have despised the spirit of prophecy, be- cause they had it not themselves ; for it is the nature of reason to despise prophesy, being convicted of its own wisdom or legal righteousness of the law. For this I do by infallible rule of faith in the Scriptures know, and by my own experience these ten years, that there hath been more religious persons, who had an outside righteousness, hath committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, for which they have been damned to eternity. I may safely say, almost forty 41 to one that hath had no righteousness in them at all ; for no man or woman can commit the sin against the Holy Ghost, but in the time of a commission, nor then except he doth despise that prophet, messenger or minister, which is sent of God for his doctrine, and in so doing he hath committed that unpardon- able sin, which very few religious persons, that hath talked with me, or seen our writings, that hath escaped it. Loving Friend, I have now finished, I suppose, my last book of the interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelations, and have prepared it ready for the press : and there is many here in London, and elsewhere in the country, that have a great desire to have it out, but it will cost such a deal of money the printing, that it will be much ado to be raised ; for the print- ing of the Divine Looking-Glass did cast me much behind hand, and this will cost more, because the times are so troublesome concerning printing, that I have much ado to get it printed at all. But the printer knowing of me, I printing so much, concern- ing this commission, knowing that they are dispersed unto private persons, and not sold public in the sta- tioner's shops, he is willing to undertake it with some more gain than formerly. Therefore, if there be any of your acquaintance that hath any affection unto truth, if they have any freedom in themselves, to contribute something to- wards the printing of it ; what they are made free I shall not lay any burthen upon them no where : if I can get money enough to pay the printer one half down, he will set about it a matter of ten days F 42 hence, and the other half must be paid when he hath done, which is supposed will be about Easter. I shall desire to hear from you before that time, if you can : I do intend after this is out to see you this summer. I have had a letter since I had yours, from your aunt Carter, and am glad to hear of her faith and confidence in the truth, and of the affection that is in her daughter unto truth. I do intend to send her an answer unto it. No more at present, but rest your friend in the true faith of Jesus, the only God blessed for ever, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, Feb. 17, 1661. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to the Believers in Cambridgeshire, bearing Date from London, Aug. 9> 1661. Brother Dickinson, and to all the rest of the Believers in Cambridgeshire, MY love remembered unto you and your wife, and unto all the rest of our friends there with you. My writing unto you this time is to certify you, that my daughter is come well home, and I am in- formed by her, that you and other of the believers doth expect that I should come into those parts this Bartholomew-tide, because I did send a letter a great while ago somewhat to that purpose, because then I did expect that my daughter would have come up to London long before that time ; but since she did not, my mind is altered as to that thing ; because I do not see it necessary, nor convenient to come this year, because my daughter having been there so long with you, hath set such a fire about the country, that will not be quenched in a fortnight or three weeks time, therefore not convenient that I should come suddenly after her. Therefore my desire is, that you may be stedfast in your faith, and that will rectify and uphold you in the midst of all opinions, and be not fearful and un- believing, that is, afraid of every reed that is shaken with the wind : for, consider your sufferings for your faith in these times cannot extend unto death, as it hath in other commissions. And yet you see how the believers in other com- missions have suffered the spoiling of their goods, and the passing through death itself, rather than shrink in their faith. And you see the martyrs, which had no foundation, but an infinite spirit ; yet, if they should have flinched from their faith, they would never have been able to have gone through those fiery trials as they did ; which faith of theirs did carry them through death itself with great joy; for none can tell what the power of faith is until it be tried. Now there is none of your trials that are the be- lievers of this commission of the Spirit, that can reach so far as death, nor surely to any punishment on your bodies, only some charges, or perhaps im- prisonment, which is not worth the naming, and who would sell faith and a good conscience, and the as- surance of eternal life, for a mess of pottage ! which many a one at this day hath so done, and will do. I perceive by my daughter, that your thoughts are F 2 44 as if I should not have such affection to you as I had before, because our brother Burton is come away from you . I would have been glad if it had been so appointed, that he might have stayed with you yet ; nevertheless my love and desire shall be nevertheless unto you, and shall come and see you as when he was there ; for if he should have stayed there I should not Lave come this year, because of those ttr.ngs aforesaid, and the hinderance of that book that is now in hand. Therefore I shall desire, in the bonds of peace, that ye love one another, and bear with one another's weakness, so that the weakness be not absolute sin or wickedness ; for you are but few, and have many enemies, therefore walk as children of the light, that you may know the end of your faith, which is a crown of eternal life ; that you may receive the end of your faith, which God the righteous Judge, shall give unto all those whose faith doth hold out to the end in the belief of the true God, which hath been declared by this commission of the Spirit. My love remembered unto Charles Cleve, Thomas Parke, and goodman Dovie, and the widow Adams, and her daughter Anne, and goodman Warrboys and Singleton, and his wife, and all the rest of the faith. And when your conveniency will serve, certify them concerning my not coming to see them this time. No more at present, but rest your friend in the eternal truth, the last commissioner of the Spirit, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. August 9, 1661. ' 45 A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, bearing date November 28, 1661. Friend, I HAVE received your letter, though unknown to you in the body ; yet I perceive by your letter, that light hath shined into your heart, by the decla- rations of this commission of the Spirit, which I de- sire may increase and grow in you, so that you may become wiser than your teachers, or that society which you have been formerly acquainted with, not- withstanding it is counted weakness and ignorance in you : yet, if your faith doth grow in the knowledge of the doctrine of this commission of the Spirit, your weakness will be stronger than their strength, and your ignorance will prove wiser than their wisdom ; because their wisdom, which counts your wisdom ig- norance, is the wisdom of reason, which is the devil, and your wisdom is the wisdom of faith, which is the wisdom of God ; because it leads you to the know- ledge of the true God and the right devil, with the knowledge of the place and nature of heaven, and the place and nature of hell, with the persons and nature of angels, and the mortality of the soul. Upon the knowledge of these six principles de- pendeth the eternal happiness of man, in which Jacob Bemon was utterly ignorant ; yet he doth talk of a God, and a devil, and of angels ; but knows nothing of the person and nature of them. Yet his philoso- phical light was above all men that doth profess religion, until this commission of the Spirit came forth, 46 which hath brought Jacob Demon's light, and many other high lights, down very low within these ten years, as you may read in our writings, if you have them all, and if you have them not all, send to me, and I will help you to them, and they will inform you further than I can by word or pen. The books that were written by us, the witnesses of the Spirit, are these : First, A Transcendant Spiritual Treatise. Secondly, An Epistle to the Ministers. Thirdly, A Letter to the Lord Mayor of London. Fourthly, A Remonstrance. Fifthly, A Divine Looking-Glass. Sixthly, The Mortality of the Soul. These were all written by us the ministers of the Spirit. There is one more, which I shall set forth, which I suppose will be the last that will be set forth by me. , It is The Interpretation of the Eleventh Chapter of the Revelation, which is much desired by many. You speak as if I had some thoughts to come down, and that somebody did speak something to that pur- pose : but I do not know why they should say so ; for I do not remember that I did say any such thing, neither had I any ground to say so, because I do not know any one in tliose parts that hath any such affec- tions to me, or to the doctrine held forth by me, ex- cept it be one Dorothy Carter, and one Edward Frewterill, at Chesterfield, else I know none by name in those parts that hath any affections to these things. Now this Edward Frewterill was a great Bemonist before he had heard of our books ; yet, nevertheless, I am encouraged by your letter to come and see you, but it will be next summer first, and then 1 am to go into Cambridgeshire, and that is a quite contrary way from you ; yet I am unacquainted in those parts, yet I have been at Harborough, in Northamptonshire, and at Ashby de la Zouch, in Leicestershire ; there have been some of my name, which did live at Not- tingham, they were of kin to me ; but kindred hath been of little value to me from a child. If you be acquainted with Dorothy Carter, and Edward Frew- terill, let me know it, and whether you had the books by their means or no. No more at present, but rest your friend in the faith of the true God the Man Christ Jesus in glory, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. You may direct your letter to me as you did before, in Great Trinity-lane, over against the Lion and the Lamb. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury. April 7, 1662. I RECEIVED your letter dated March 28, with the inclosed to Mr. Hatter, which he coming to my house at that same time the letter came, I gave unto him, at which he was very glad to see, and he reading of mine, was the more refreshed in his mind to hear of your love, faith, and stedfastness in this commission of the vSpirit. Also I shewed it to my daughter, and to others of the faith, which doth much rejoice at your faith and satisfaction you have in the under- standing of the truth, in that you are made partaker with us in the like precious faith, which doth consist 48 in the right understanding of the true God and the right devil ; the rise of the two seeds, and the dis- tinction of the three commissions, which no more in the world doth know at this day, but the believers of this commission of the Spirit only ; because they have no true spiritual foundation as a rock, but their foun- dation is upon the sand, even all the teachers in the world, and the Quaker's principle or foundation is the worst of all ; though it seemeth to be the best of all in righteousness of life ; yet the worst of all in point of doctrine : and that they will find in the end, though they may flourish for a time ; for no Quaker, nor any other that hath heard of this commission of the Spirit^ and of the doctrine declared by it, and doth not understand it, and believe it, they cannot be saved, let their holiness of life be never so much ; for God hath not regard unto the righteousness of life, except it doth proceed from faith in the true God ; which no Quaker, nor any other man hath, but those that have faith in this commission of the Spirit. Therefore it is that they do all fight against the true God, and against the commission of the Spirit ; but I am refreshed at your experience and growth in grace and knowledge of the true God ; and in that you have eyes, and can see, as Christ said unto his disciples, Blessed are your eyes, for they see ; for many hath eyes, but they see not. Also I am glad to see that your understanding is enlightened to see the true interpretation of Scripture, which is given by this commission of the Spirit; and this book of The Eleventh of the Revelation is very little else but interpretation of many places of Scripture, besides the chapter itself, which will enlighten the under- standing in the knowledge of the Scriptures more than all that hath been written before ; therefore I have 49 sent you three of them ; because if there should be any others besides yourself, that should have any affection to them besides yourself, let them have them ; but I shall leave that to your discretion, do what you will with them. 1 received a letter from Edward Frewterill, and your aunt Carter, with the money, bearing date March the 19th, 166} ; but I have not sent them any answer as yet, nor no books ; but I do intend to send this week, if the carrier be in town. And as for my coming down into the country, I do much rejoice at your's and your aunt Curtis's affec- tion in desiring of me to come, which I do intend to do, but I think it will be about James-tide, for I must go into Cambridgeshire about Midsummer, and after I have been there, I do intend to see you. So being in haste, I rest your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Mr. Hatter remembers his love unto you. My daughter remembers her love, with others of the faith, unto you. London, April 7th, 1662. . G 50 A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, of Chesterfield, bearing date April 12, 1662. Loving Friend in the true Faith) Dorothy Carter, I RECEIVED the thirty-five shillings of Hol- land's man. Also I received the inclosed letter as it was directed. I am glad to hear of your faith in this commission, and of your affections and forwardness in things of this nature, and of your daughter's faith in the true God. I shall not write to you, but of those things that are expected by you, that is, of my coming down to see you. I do intend to come about James-tide, for I must go about Midsummer into Cambridgeshire ; that journey is but short, I can return again in twelve or fourteen days time. In the mean time you may read over this book, which I believe will give you more light in the Scrip- tures, than all that ever you have read ; I have sent you six of them. Let Mr. Frewterill have one ; as for the rest, dispose of them as you please. If there be any need for any more of them, send to me, and I will send them. I have sent three to your cousin Sudbury on Monday last, by the Nottingham car- rier ; he goeth forth on Monday. No more at present, but my love remembered to you and your daughter, having an intent to see you at the time appointed. I rest your friend in the faith, as it is in Jesus, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Mr. Hatter and my daughter remember their loves unto you, and your daughter, and Mr. Frewterill. A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Bladdwell, a Believer, bearing date May 30, 1662. Friend Mrs. Bladdwcll, I UNDERSTAND by Mrs. Chitwood and my daughter, that you are desirous to be declared one of the blessed ones' of the Lord by me, which I do be- lieve that you are of that seed which is appointed unto eternal happiness, therefore you have been pre- served even to the last hour, which is the eleventh hour of the day ; for the twelfth hour is the hour of eternity, when, as no man can work, neither will there be any need of the work of faith any more, be- cause eternity enters in at the twelfth hour. I say you have been preserved as Nicodemus was, to be born again by the words of Christ, when he was old ; so now for you to be born again by this com- mission of the Spirit, when you are old, it is a thing which I have not known, no, not since this commis- sion hath been upon me, that one so old as you are should believe truth, when it is declared, even at the last hour. It cannot be expected by me, neither of God himself, that you should grow to any maturity in the knowledge of the true God, and the right devil, with many other heavenly mysteries, as if you were but in the sixth or ninth hour of your age ; but it is well for you that ever you was born, that you were of that seed that was capable to believe in this commission of the Spirit, when as you did hear of it, which is a great Providence unto you, being caught in the net of eternal happiness, which is the com- mission of the Spirit, before you departed this life. G 2 52 But however, whetberyour understanding or know- ledge do increase or no, so as to discourse to the con- vincing of others that are enemies to truth, yet let your faith be strong in what you have received by reading in those books, which have been written by the witnesses of the Spirit, and in vindication of this commission, and you shall fare no worse than I my- self shall do. In which faith you so living, and so dying, (I not questioning you in the least) I do declare your soul and body happy and blessed to eternity. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the last two Witnesses and Prophets of the Com- mission of the Spirit unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jesus, in Glory. May 30, 1662. e Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton's Blessing to Mrs. Sarah Short. Transcribed from a Copy drawn from the Original. Given to her by him, June 2, 1662. Mi Dear Friend, in the eternal Truth, Mrs. Short, I UNDERSTOOD by a word or two that Mrs. Chitwood spake, that you were not well sa- tisfied in those words that I spake unto you concern- ing your eternal happiness, as if I did not look upon you to be of the seed of faith, or one of the blessed oi; the Lord, because I bade you not be troubled in 53 your mind concerning that, for you should fare no worse than myself did, and what could I say more ; for if I had not looked upon you as one of the seed of faith, I should never have said so unto you ; for I never did say so unto any, but unto those which I do really believe to be of the seed of faith, espe- cially unto those that do ask it out of singleness of heart, as I do believe you did ; but this I would have you to consider, that a prophet cannot give faith and revelation unto any, whereby they may find those refreshments and joy of heart. It must arise from your own seed of faith, neither can it arise so in you as it doth in others, neither can it be expected of you, because you are not, neither have you been exercised with the trouble of this world as others are. And then again the weakness of your nature is such, that you cannot exercise your mind about the busi- ness and lawful affairs of this world, which would be a great refreshment unto nature, as it were the assur- ance of eternal life, is which nature hath denied unto you ; but it is well for you that ever you were born, that you were of that blessed seed, that will be happy in the end. I should be glad that your faith might grow as strong as that woman's did, which was trou- bled with the bloody issue, that if she could but touch our Lord's garment she should be whole ; and ac- cording to her faith it was unto her, and not only so, but she had the assurance of eternal life beside ; for virtue went out of our Lord not only to cure the bloody issue, but the peace and satisfaction of her mind concerning a life to come. Therefore it is said he looked round about to see her that had done this thing, and he said, Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole ; go in peace. Here you may see, it was not our Lord that did 54 give her faith, but it was her own faith which made her whole, both natural and spiritual ; neither can any prophet give faith to any, neither doth God him- self give faith to any, it must arise from its own seed. You may say then, why doth the Scripture say, that faith is the gift of God ? To which I answer, for these two reasons ; because the seed of faith is of his own Divine nature, and that breath of life, which God breathed into Adam, was that breath or seed of faith ; and whoever is partaker of the seed of Adam, they are of the seed of faith ; so in time it doth arise out of that seed into art, so that the creature come to the peace of assurance of eternal life. And in this sense it may be said, that faith is the gift of God, because God gave the seed in the original unto Adam, and not in particular unto every person, as hath been a long time vainly imagined through the ignorance of man not knowing the two seeds. Secondly, it may be said, that faith is the gift of God, in that he hath chosen prophets and ambassa- dors to preach faith. Therefore, saith Paul, Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God preached, and how can he preach except he be sent. The meaning is this, that the act of faith cometh by hearing the Word of God preached by me, or more, that is sent of God, but the seed and roots of faith was in them that did believe before, and not immediately given of God, as I said before. But in regard God did send messengers to preach faith, and so that seed is awakened, and cometh to act itself forth in power, so as to justify themselves towards God, and towards man ; for being justified by faith, we have peace with God. And in this regard, it may be said, that faith is a gift of God, in that he hath sent men to declare truth, 55 and so them that believe them may be said to receive faith from God ; for he that receiveth a prophet, in the name of a prophet, receiveth him that sent him ; and whoever receiveth a prophet, in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward, which re- ward is eternal life ; for prophets have little else to give. And if it be well considered it is enough, and O ' O as the Woman's faith did draw virtue from our Lord, so there will virtue go from the commission of the Spirit as to your eternal happiness. Let your faith wholly depend upon it, and you shall fare no worse than myself doth : you shall have the end of your faith, even the salvation of your soul. And that you may be sure I do declare you one of the blessed of the Lord to eternity. I thought good to write these few lines unto you, for your further confirmation of your eternal happiness after death. Your faithful Friend, and true Prophet, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. June 9, 1662. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, of Chesterfield, bearing date July 14, 1662, from London. Loving Friend, in the eternal Truth, Dorothy Carter, MY love remembered unto you and to our friend Mr. Frewterill. 56 I understand by your letter, that you received the six books, and how you disposed of some of them, and of a maid that liveth with you, that is brought to believe this commission, which I am very glad to hear that one so young should be called by this de- claration of truth, even as my daughter was, even at the sixth hour of the day, that is, in their infancy ; for there is but the sixth hour, ninth, and eleventh hour ; for the twelfth hour is the hour of eternity. The sixth is youth or childhood, the ninth is mid- dle age, the eleventh hour is old age, which is the last hour, then cometh the twelfth hour, which is the hour of eternity. I do know but of two that are called at the eleventh hour, not these ten years, but at the sixth many, but most of all at the ninth hour of the day, that is, mid- dle age. Also you desired a book all bound together, for that maid's brother, which Mr. Hatter did send in my ab- sence. I hope you did receive it ; lam glad to hear of your faith and refreshment, that you find in this commission of the Spirit, in the understanding of those things declared by this commission. I make no question but that you shall increase in faith, light and life, to the opposing of all those blind and dark lights, the Quakers, that have no God but what is within them, and that light within them will be found in the end to be but darkness ; and then how great will that darkness be ! For their God and their light within themselves will perish to eternity ; for though they seem to be the best of all the seven churches in righteousness of life, and do suffer more by the powers of the nation than any other, yet they are the worst of all the seven churches in point of doctrine ; for they are absolutely the spirit of 57 antichrist, which denieth both the Father and the Son ; for though the other churches do deny the Father to be a person in the form of a man, yet they will acknowledge that Christ, the Son of God, is now in heaven, in that body that suffered death ; but these Quakers do deny, that the same body of flesh is now living, therefore the spirit of antichrist, which de- nieth both the Father and the Son to be a person ; for those Quakers are but the very influence of John Robin's witchcraft spirit, he being the antichrist in this last age, which did shew such signs and wonders as is written of by John Reeve, and many more strange things than what was written, which was acted in my house by some of his prophets, which I am an eye-witness of before I had any knowledge of God, or knew what did belong to a commission, neither will any of his prophets or disciples own any such thing now, though they know that this witch- craft power was taken from him, and so from them, by that sentence of eternal death, which John Reeve had pronounced upon him. Therefore it matters not whether the Quakers do believe any thing concerning him or no. Are the Quakers so simple to think, that any of John Robin's disciples will tell him the truth how they were bewitched by him ? No, nor no other man, neither could we ourselves, if we had not had a know- ledge above him, and a commission too, we could neither have brought down his power, nor have known how, and by what means, he did procure it, with divers other actions, which his disciples did act, which I shall relate, if need be, when I see you. The thing of concern in your letter is concerning these words of Christ : Swear not by heaven, for that H 58 is God's throne, nor by the earth, for that is his footstool ; and so in another place, bade them swear not at all. I know your desire is to know in what sense it may be said, Swear not at all. You may remember it was said by Christ, Let your conversation be yea, yea, and nay, nay, for what cometh more is evil. These words of Christ were not to his disciples, but to those Jews that were under the law of Moses. Therefore it is that Christ doth expound the law, shewing what was said of old, and then giving in his judgment, which is thus : It was said of old, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform the vow that thou hast made, and so forth, but I say, swear not at all, neither by heaven, and the like. Which words (Sivear not at all) was only to beat men off from swearing to unrighteous things, and from swearing vainly in their common discourse, as it is usual amongst men in these our days, as they did swear by heaven in those days, and by the earth, and by the city, and by a man's head, and those things did they in their common discourse. Therefore it was that Christ said, Let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, be all, for need you use swearing in your common talk or dealings, for swearing in this kind is evil ; for do not they do so now-a-days ? Will not men swear by their faith, which true faith is the nature of God, which they know not ? They will swear by God, and yet know him not ; they will swear by God's blood, and yet they do not believe that he had any blood ; and so God damn them, and yet they are loth to be damned, with many other oaths, which are frivolous, m their common discourse, which becomes evil and sin to them that 59 practise it, and a guilt upon the consciences of those that use it. I would not have you think, that these words of Christ did take you off from all swearing at all, not as the Quakers do blindly imagine, that will not be a witness in any business ; let it be of bonds con- cerning money, or other cases, in which they know that the innocent will suffer and lose their right, for want of their witnessing to it ; and they must do it in that form and order, that the law of the land hath ordained, else a man's word is worth nothing, though it be never so true ; and the un- righteous hath gotten the better for want of an oath, and the innocent hath lost his right, through the blindness and ignorance of those that strain the let- ter of the Scriptures beyond the intent of them, neither can the judge help the innocent in such a case. But as for those oaths, that are imposed upon the Quakers and other people now of late, it is utterly unlawful for any one that hath any light or tender- ness of conscience in him to take ; for he that takes it receives the mark of the beast, either in the fore- head, or in the hand, he shall not be suffered to buy or sell else. He that receiveth the mark in the fore- head is he that doth take the oath willingly ; and he that receiveth the mark in the hand is he that doth take the oath against his will, only for fear of im- prisonment, or the suffering of loss in their estate ; neither shall they be suffered to buy or sell except they receive the mark in their hand. And this is the state of this land at this day. It will be well for those few of this faith that are preserved from that pollution upon the mind. H2 00 It will be too tedious to speak what might be said concerning oaths, therefore I shall let it alone until I see you, and then I shall inform you further in it, which will not be long after the receipt of this letter ; for I do intend to set out of London on the 28th day of July, being Monday : I do intend to come to Nottingham first. I cannot give our friend Mr. Frewterill any certain knowledge where or when he should meet with us ; for I know not as yet whether Mr. Hudson will have two horses or no ; he hath one for himself, for he is going into Lancashire to some friends there ; so that we know not whether we shall go any further than the carrier or no. So with my love remembered unto yourself, and Mr. Frewterill, and all the rest of the faith with you, I rest Your Friend in the eternal truth, v.- . I LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. There is a letter inclosed of Mr. Frewteriirs, which should have been sent to you when I was in Cam- bridgeshire. He remembers his love to you, and is glad to hear of your faith in the truth. 6i A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, July 19, 1662. Friend in the Faith of the true God, Ellen Sudbury, I RECEIVED your letter, dated May 26, with a letter inclosed from our friend in the same faith, Dorothy Carter ; but I could not send you an answer until now. I had but one day to stay in town, after that I received yours ; but I gave order to our friend Mr. Hatter to write unto you, and to send the book which your aunt Carter wrote for, which I hope did come to your hands accordingly, though I have heard nothing of it. Also I do much rejoice to hear of your growth in the faith, and in your un- derstanding, being enlightened so as to see the foun- dations of all saving truths, by the belief of this commission of the Spirit, which is not a little re- freshment unto me ; though the present peace, and eternal salvation, will redown unto yourself; or though I was left alone, even as the prophet Elijah was, and as the prophet Esaiah, who saith, Who hath believed our report? Or to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Yet should I not think nevertheless of the commission, neither is there any saving truth, but in a commission : and as you say well, though you have been a professor, or seeker after the truth, yet you never found the like effect wrought in you, as you have done since you were acquainted with us, the witnesses of the Spirit ; which I perceive by your letter, you are given to understand the form and nature of the true God, the form and nature of the right devil : and that it was the Godhead that suf- 62 fered death upon the cross : and that the believing of this is to eat his flesh, and drink his blood ; and this will quench the thirst of sin ; for it was for sin that he shed his blood, therefore it is said in Scrip- ture, In that he died, he died unto sin ; that is, to sa- tisfy sin, which could not be satisfied but by the blood of God, neither would there have been any eternal damnation unto the seed of reason, which is the seed of the serpent, but by his quickening again into life ; so that by his passing through death to life again, he hath purchased eternal life for the seed of faith, and eternal death to the seed of reason. These sayings will be counted hard sayings by most men and women in the world ; but blessed are they that understand them and believe them, which I perceive you do ; for what greater faith can there be in any, than to understand the form and nature of the true God, the form and nature of the right devil, and to believe the Godhead life to die, as it is held forth in this commission of the Spirit. I may say by you, as our Lord said in another case; where he saith, That he had not found such faith, no not in Israel: so may I say that I have not found such strong faith, not in one, that never saw none of us, nor spake with us : I may say, I have not found such faith, no not in England ; and be sure that such a faith can never fail, because it is built upon a rock, even upon the commission of the Spirit, as Peter's was in his time : and when Peter had made a confession of his faith unto our Lord, he said, Upon this rock will I build my church ; that is, on this faith, which thou art, of Peter, so that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So it is with every com- missionated prophet, his faith and commission is the rock for all the seed of faith, which is the church to 63 build upon, neither shall the gates of hell prevail against the faith that is built upon this commission of the Spirit, no more than it did in Peter's commis- sion, which was the commission of the blood ; but it shall be a rook in this last age. And I am glad for your own sake that you do understand so well the distinction of the three commissions ; for I do find that those that do lay the greatest weight upon the commission, do grow most eminent in faith and understanding. Yet I very seldom press the commission upon any except it be to some wise in reason, that would run away with the doctrine of this commission, thinking to be saved by that, without the commission of the Spirit ; as if the doctrine that we declare, may be truth and saving, but we ourselves false messengers, and so in danger to be lost. These things do I meet withal sometimes, having to do with all sorts, and all dispositions of men, within these ten years : and I do find now of late, that this commission of the Spirit hath put all men, of what opinion in religion soever, unto such a loss, that they know not which way to turn to find rest ; all of them being ignorant of the true God, and the right devil ; and as for a commission of the Spirit, they stop their ears against it, even against that which should show them the way to their eternal rest and peace, which I am sure cannot be but by this commission of the Spirit ; for men and women can- not lay too much stress upon the commission : for if we, the witnesses of the Spirit, be true and happy, (as I know we are,) then all those that believe it shall be happy also : then of necessity, all other opinions that do hear of it, and do not believe in it, must be unhappy, and perish to eternity. But if we 64 be false, (as I have said to many that have been damned by me) then shall they, and all the world be saved, and we only, and those that believe our re- port, shall be damned to eternity. Thus it must go ; you, and all the seed of faith must venture your eternal happiness upon the com- mission of the Spirit declared by us, the chosen witnesses of God ; and we being happy, you that believe, shall be happy also ; and so all other opi- nions whatsoever besides, which hear of it, and do not believe it, will be unhappy, and perish to eternity. This is that strait and narrow way that leads to life, and few there be that find it ; not as man doth vainly imagine, that men may go to heaven in every opinion ; no, there is but one truth, one way, one eternal life ; neither is this true way to be found but in the faith of this commission of the Spirit ; and blessed are they that have faith in it. I did think to have come to see you a week before I now shall, through some occasion that Mr. Hud- son hath ; but I do intend to set out of London on the 28th day of July, but whether I shall come any sooner than the carrier doth, I cannot yet tell ; but I suppose you are the first that I shall come unto, be- cause I think your aunt Carter liveth twenty miles further than you. My daughter and Mr. Hatter remember their loves unto you, rejoicing to hear of your growth of faith, and your understanding you have expressed in your letter concerning the true God and right devil. This, with my love remembered unto you, I rest your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, July 14, 1662. 65 A Copy of the Prophet Lodowicke Muggletons Blessing, given by him to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, Aug. 1 1, 1662. Dear Friend in the true faith of Jesus, Ellen Sudbury, I CALLING to mind some passages in your let- ters sent to me at London, which gave great testimony unto me of your faith in the true God, and in this commission of the Spirit, which I find since I have seen you, not only in the head but in the heart also, which my heart is much rejoiced to see that strength and growth of faith, which you have in these things aforesaid ; seeing you are alone, and compassed about with devils, baiting at you as a deceived person, and now I know it will be so much the more because I have been with you ; for that William Watson hath been here at your aunt Carter's with another scold- ing fit me, and not only so, incensing some others here in Chesterfield against me, which maketh people offended at me, yet never saw me ; so that if I should stay long here, I should make the world mad. Also it is upon my heart to be sensible how your faith will be tried, seeing you are alone ; but I know according to your trials, your faith shall grow in strength And I considering that now some of those of the Bemonist's principles being damned, it will run through the whole body of them ; so that I know you will be the more exclaimed at as a deceived person : but I know your faith shall not fail, but increase in more experience and knowledge of the truth of these things, which are held forth in this commission of the Spirit. 66 Therefore, for your further assurance of your eter- nal happiness against all gain-sayers whatsover, I do declare you one of the blessed of the Lord both soul and body to eternity. I thought good to write these few lines unto you, because 1 fear I shall have no time to have any talk with you ; for it is not good for me to stay here any longer, because people's minds are, and do begin to be incensed much against me. Therefore it is my in- tent to see Mr. Hudson on his journey this Monday, and I do think to be on Tuesday night at your house, or on Wednesday at the farthest, and so to London. I shall call and see you before I go. I cannot tell whether it will be convenient to lie at your house or no, I cannot tell whether there be freedom of both sides, but 1 shall call and see you however. No more at present, but rest your friend in the true faith, and alone prophet and witness unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jesus in glory, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. i Chctterfield, Aug. 11, 1662. vron>{ I -fnd- : . ^iMMMaBBM .'now; A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter. Dated Septem- ber 12, 166'2. : ... -'- Dear Friend in the true Faith, Dorothy Carter, f RECEIVED your letter, also I received the linen of Holland's man, according as you specified in 67 your letter, and am glad to hear of your, and the rest of the faith with you, of your refreshments and further enlightening, which you and they received by my society that small time I was with you, which I am glad to hear, and do desire your further increase and growth in the knowledge of the doctrine of this commission of the Spirit, and the power of a commis- sion to declare blessing and cursing to eternity, which faith, depending and resting upon it, will give you easily to see the happiness of the one, and the misery of the other ; and you cannot lay too much stress upon the commission, for the more weight you lay upon it, the more comfort and assurance of your eternal happiness you will receive ; neither can you expect to be free from reproach, envy and malice from that seed that is condemned by this commission of the Spirit; and though they may seem to rejoice, and make light of it for a season, yet their damna- tion 1 am sure doth neither slumber nor sleep, neither will the eternal happiness of the true believers of this commission of the Spirit slumber nor sleep, but will increase from life to life ; that is, the faith of it shall pass through the life of assurance into life eter- nal, the unbelief of reason shall pass through the first death of fear and unbelief, into the second death of eternal damnation, where the worm will never die, nor the fire never go out. These things are hard sayings unto the seed of 'reason, but plain and easy where faith is deeply grounded upon a rock, which rock is the true God, and the right devil, which knowledge hath been declared, with many other heavenly wisdom and mysteries of this commission of the Spirit, which faith in it will abide the greatest blasts that reason the devil can blow, though it be even to death itself; therefore it I 2 68 "*si > is"" said by our Lord, Fear not him that can Ml the body, and hath no more to do, but fear him that can cast both body and soul into hell Jire ; as if he should say, that the death of this life is but as the killing of this body, because it is not above a quarter of an hour's work ; but the second death will be for ever ; there- fore it is that he must be feared, that can and will cast both body and soul into hell-fire ; that is, God doth kill the devil reason with the second death, and reason the devil did kill God, and the seed of faith with the first death, which is called but a killing of the body, and hath no more to do, because reason the devil his wrath can extend no further, but the wrath of God extends to eternity. And as for those slavish fears which you had when I was there with you, I do suppose too, I do think that some of them were occasioned by that old maid that lived with you ; but this you may be sure, that it was not for want of will that they did it not, but for want of power, for I find opposition in all places, both in city and country. But all opinions being under the hatches of perse- cutions themselves, therefore it is that they can do nothing to me ; for all sects and opinions in religion are against me, and I against them all. I was in good hopes that you had seen our friend Ellen Sudbury before now, but you have shewed me the cause ; but I hope when you are well, and your occasions will permit, that you will see her. I have not received any letter from her since I came from her, only one from her husband, the day after I received yours, which was on Saturday, being the sixth of September. I did send him an answer on the eighth of September. It may fall out so that I may see you and her there ; but if not, I shall be 69 glad to see you here in London, if your health and occasions will permit, towards the next spring. In the mean time let me hear from you how you all do, as oft as you can. I got very well to Barnet that Saturday night, and am very well at this time, but I have not heard from Mr. Hudson not as yet. No more at present, but my love remembered unto yourself and your daughter Elizabeth Carter, and Elizabeth Smith, and to Mr. Frewterill and his wife. So resteth your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, My daughter Sarah remembers her love unto your- self and Mr. Frewterill, and all the rest of the faith with you, but she is very ill at this time. Mr. Hatter desires to be remembered to you. . . A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggkton, to Mr> John Leavens, bearing date Octo- ber 6, 1662. This is Mr. Halter's Brother. I HAVING been informed that you are a man that have travelled through several principles of reli- gion, even from the Baptist to the Quaker ; indeed it is the last, and seemeth to me to be the purest religion or principle of all the seven churches, and so it is in respect 6f practice, but the worst of all the seven in matter of true doctrine. And though you are come to the purest life in respect of righteousness towards men, which may give some peace, because every action hath its reward in it, whether it be good or evil ; but as for the true righteousness of faith, you have not as yet tasted of it, because you have no true foundation as a rock to set your faith upon ; for the Quakers principles is but a sandy foundation for a man's eternal happiness, as well as the others, because there is no true spiri- tual principle declared nor believed by none of the ministry of the seven churches, because there is none of the ministry of the Quakers, nor none others that hath a commission from the true God ; there- fore they cannot declare and make known what the form and nature of the true God was before he be- came flesh, nor now that he is become flesh, nor the form and nature of the right devil, before he became flesh, nor what he is now, though no man can see any other devil or devils, but man and woman, that is cloathed with flesh and bone ; neither doth any of the ministry know the place and nature of heaven, nor the place and nature of hell, with the persons and natures of angels, nor the mortality of the soul. Those six principles, or grounds of faith, is all that is necessary unto salvation, in which all the teachers of the world are ignorant of, but this commission of the Spirit only. And as the Quakers ministry is the seventh and last angel that will sound, till time be no more, there- fore it seemeth to carry the purest show in righteous- ness of life, but the most cursed of all in point of doctrine ; and the spirit of it is the absolute spirit of Antichrist, which doth deny both the Father and the Son; for though they dp confess a Christ within them, yet they deny the very person or body of ''.'- T I J I . tllll III . '-J > ~Kt 71 Christ without them. This I know by experience, for which, at a dispute in East-Cheap, there was five of them damned to eternity, whereof George Fox the younger, and John Harwood, were two of them ; and as for Fox the elder, he and Francis Hewgill, and James Burroughes, were all of them damned devils eight years ago ; and not only those, but many more of the Quakers, and many other opinions whatso- ever; and as the Quakers are the last angel will sound, so is the third and last commission of the Spirit come forth upon the earth, which is to finish the mystery of God, and to encounter and oppose all spiritual counterfeits, whether it be in Quakers, or any others whatsoever, because there is none that hath a commission from God but Us two ; neither can any man truly interpret Scripture but us two only, neither hath any man the knowledge of those things aforesaid, because we two are to finish the deep and secret mysteries of God's becoming flesh, which Moses, the prophets and apostles so much hinted at, up and down in the Scriptures, so that there cannot be the assurance of eternal happiness but in the belief of a commission. Therefore, think you what you will of yourself, and of the Quakers principles, it is not all the sanctifi- cation of life which you or they can do that will procure your peace with God, except you, that are not under the sentence of this commission, do come to own the doctrine of the true God, and the right devil, which is held forth by this commission of the Spirit, and then your sanctification of life will add to your comfort here, and to your glory hereafter, I write not this unto you as expecting you to be a disciple of this commission, but because you shall understand that there was a true prophet in these 72 latter days, as well as there was in former times, which you do so much honour, because they are all dead, and that now the deepest mysteries of the true God, the right devil, with many other heavenly secrets which lay hid from the foundation of the earth, but now revealed both by word and power by this commission of the Spirit, or spiritual commis- sion, which you, and many thousands more, cannot be ignorant of, and say that you did never hear of it ; but if there be not that in your seed, that should lay hold of life when it is set before you, then the seed is appointed unto cursings ; for this commission doth set life and death before men, as truly as Moses did set life and death before the people of Israel. These lines I have written unto you, that you might, if it be possible, understand truth, that is now alive in the world, and not to depend upon the dead letter of the Scriptures, nor upon the lying imaginations of the Quakers, which bids you hearken to the light within you, but denies the person of the true God without them. So resteth the last true witness and prophet unto the true God, the man Christ Jesus in glory, lHll!!; LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. lib/ ji;f!l <>b u&'j >?!:) 10 : ',;; zs t . :r: /iq r affj fjm; J o : fte'ii>i{ v. . r, / ;. . ^ '>d oJ nc.r/ vn' .- t ; -... . ; . O . . !"". Hud.-: nov oeriispOT Joel U.".i:(ni-;-i -1 : ha?; 73 A Copy of a Letter from the Prophet Lodowicke Mug- gleton, to Mr. Richard Sudbury, dated Nov. 3, 1662. Friend Richard Sudbury, I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date October the ?th, with the two inclosed letters, and am glad to hear that you are so far enlightened as to understand any of these things ; for these things V C^ which the commission of the Spirit hath declared are not common, or easy to be understood, but must be comprehended by the single eye of faith, and not by the right eye of reason ; for if your right eye of- fend, pull it out : this right eye is the reason of man, the left eye is the faith of man, and these two eyes do see, and the sight doth arise from these two seeds ; so that if your eye be single, your whole body will be full of light; but if you look upon spiritual things with both eyes, is double, and not clear sighted, for reason can see the things of this world better than the things of eternity : and the eye of faith doth see the things of God better than it can the things of this world ; therefore it is called a single eye ; and the more faith you have in this commission of the Spirit, the more clear you will see in what condition the whole world is in, and how it lieth in darkness, being totally ignorant of the knowledge of the true God, and of the right devil ; and being ignorant of these two, they miss of all other heavenly mysteries which flow as a fountain from those two heads ; for what knowledge can go beyond the knowledge of the true God and right devil > Have not many men, philosophers and others, lost their wits, nay, their lives, to find out God, and yet could not do it; for if they could have found out God, they would easily have found out the right devil ; but because they sought to find out God by the right eye of reason, and not by the single eye of faith, therefore they lost their wits in seeking after God. I received the Quaker's letter you spoke of, from Dorothy Carter, and I have prepared an answer unto it ; I do intend to send it to Chester- field, for she doth desire me to let her have the read- ing of it to a Quaker there also : I would have her, or Mr. Frewterill, to take a copy of it, before it comes to you to Nottingham ; for it must be delivered to one Highfield,at Nottingham ; and when it comes from Chesterfield to you, if you will be at that trouble to take a copy of it, you may ; but you must make as much haste of it as you can, for it will be some labour, for it is something large, it is almost four sheets of paper. It will be your best course to let your wife, or somebody, read it as you write it, or else it will be too tedious. I do intend to send it to Dorothy Carter on Friday next. I did think to have writ- ten a few lines to your wife, in answer to her letter, for her further confirmation ; for I am very joyful to hear of her increase in faith, and assurance of eternal life ; for I know that letter was her heart, though not her hand ; therefore I shall only remember my love to her at this time, expecting to hear from you and her so soon as you can, after you have received and delivered this Quaker's letter. No more at present, but my love to yourself and all friends with you, which are few. Your friend, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. I have never heard from Mr. Hudson since Mr. Frewterill and I parted from him there in the country. A Letter from the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, of Chesterfield, dated November?, 1662. Dear friend in the eternal truth, Dorothy Carter, MY love remembered unto you and your daughter Elizabeth, and Elizabeth Smith. I am glad to hear that you are all well, and of your stedfastness in the faith of the true God, and this com- mission of the Spirit. I received the Quaker's rail- ing paper you sent me, and I have given answer to it ; and, according to your desire, I have sent it you, and if you please you may let that Quaker woman which you spake of see it, but if you had sent me her name, and the bitter words she spake against this commission of the Spirit, I would have sent her the sentence as well as the other ; for I cannot endure that any quaking devil should escape being damned, when as they despise the spirit of truth. I would desire you to let Mr. Frewterill, if his leisure will serve, to take a copy of this letter of mine, for it will be some labour, it being something large ; it is almost four sheets of paper ; he must do it as soon as possible he can, because you must send it to Richard Sudbury 's before it be delivered to Thomas Highfield ; and perhaps Mr. Sudbury will take a copy of it before it be delivered to the place afore- mentioned ; therefore it will require what haste you can. I gave Mr. Sudbury information that I should send it to you first, and that you should send it to him, because it is to be delivered to that town; for K 2 76 Mr. Sudburj, in his letter, doth desire if I send any answer, to send it to him, and he will convey it to you ; but I suppose it will be more convenient to send it to you first, seeing it must come back again to Nottingham. No more at present, but my love to yourself, Mr. Frewterill and his wife. So resteth your loving friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. I would willingly hear from you as soon as you can after you have delivered this letter to that Quaker. A Copy of a Letter from the Prophet Lodowicke Mug- gleton, to Christopher Hill, November 16, 1662. Loving friend in the true faith, Christopher Hill t I RECEIVED our friend Nicholas Miles his letter, with the basket of pippins he sent, your mother also hath them you sent to her, and I have sent the two baskets by Nathaniel the hoyman again ; you, or our friend Miles, must look for them at Milton, for I have directed them for you at Maid- stone ; but I perceive since, that the hoyman doth not come there, but at Milton you may have them ; and as for the cyder our friend speaketh of, John White, my daughter's friend, will see this week what may be done in it, and next week I think he will send you word what may be done, yea or nay. 77 Also I understand by your letter, that our friend John Martin is fallen asleep, and that he hath re- membered me, and the poor saints there with you, which was more than I did expect, yet he hath given a great testimony that his faith was grounded upon the truth of this commission of the Spirit, which fruit and effect of his faith would yield him peace, and in the end eternal life, which I do not question but he shall have it in that day when the prophets and apostles and saints shall receive theirs, For he that re- ceives a prophet in the name of a prophet, and a saint in the name of a saint, he shall not lose his reward', therefore I would have his wife, son, and daughter not to be troubled, but rather be comforted in this, that his and their names are written in the book of life, and so it will be well with them on the other side of death, for this first death we must all pass through, but blessed and happy are all those that shall escape the second death. I did intend to have seen them, and all the rest of friends in the faith, before I heard of this letter, this Christ-tide, and my resolution doth hold so still, for I must get out of the way two or three days before Thomas's-day, because the parish hath pricked me down to bear office this Christmas, or else fine. The last year I did fine for scavenger, which cost me twenty shillings, and now they have chosen me quest- man, which fine will cost three or four pounds, and next year it will cost as much more to be constable ; therefore I must get out of the way a fortnight or three weeks, until the business is over ; so I shall either come and visit you, or else go to Cambridge. No more at present, but my love remembered unto yourself, and to goodman Miles and his wife, the widow, her son and daughter, and all the rest of our 78 friends in the faith there with you, not forgetting your mother Wills. i I rest your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, November 17, 1662. My daughter Sarah desireth to be remembered unto you all ; she is very well after her journey. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter of Chesterfield, dated from London, &ov. 28, 1662. Dear friend in the eternal truth, Dorothy Carter , I RECEIVED your letters, wherein you have given me a relation of things concerning that letter I wrote to Samuel Hooton, and W. S. with some other passages of Susanna Frith, which I am very well satisfied in, and have sent her that which doth belong unto her ; for none but the seed of the ser- pent would have spoken such words as she did : but as for those few lines of your own concerning your- self, concerning the blessing, I did always look upon you to be one of the elect seed, and your having faith in the commission, I know it will bear you up in the day of death ; but yet I am glad you are so sensible for to see the benefit of the blessing of a prophet, and that you can discern the power and ope- 79 ration, the curse hath upon the seed of reason, even to blast and wither that comfort and peace they had before : so on the contrary, the blessing will make their peace and joy to flourish, and encrease to their further eternal happiness. And I know this could not have been desired by you had you not been of the seed of faith; therefore, in obedience to my com- mission, I do pronounce you justified, blessed, and happy, both in soul and body, to eternity. And let not your thoughts be troubled any further, but de- pend wholly upon it ; for you shall fare no worse than I myself doth. And so you may live in assurance here, and when you shall pass through this first death, you shall enter into life eternal, where you shall see your God face to face ; also you shall know him ac- cording to your faith, him you did believe in, which you never saw, in that you did believe in the com- mission of the Spirit, which you have seen. If you have any occasion to write to me again, you must do it within this fortnight ; for I am going into Kent : I go a week or ten days before Christ-tide. The occasion of my going is because the parish hath chosen me to bear offices, either I must hold or fine ; the last year I did fine for one office, and now they put me upon another, because I have lived long in the parish ; therefore, to prevent them, I will go into Kent for a matter of three weeks, 'till the busi- ness is over. So with my love to yourself, your daughter, and Elizabeth Smith, Mr. Frewterill, and his wife, I rest at this present, Your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. I would have you to deliver the inclosed as directed. 80 A Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to one Susannah Frith, a Quaker, bearing Date the 2Sth of Nov. 1662, from London. Susannah Frith, I UNDERSTAND, that being a Quaker, you were at the writing of that letter sent unto me from Samuel Hooton, and W. S. Also I understand, that you cannot see any fruits from the believers of this commission doth bring forth, but these that were filthy are filthy still ; for you see some disorderly walking in some. Also you think, that others do fashion themselves too much according to the world ; and if any do walk disorderly, or live an intemperate life, it is not my desire they should do so ; for I did always love a temperate life from my childhood, much more now since I came to understand truth. Also I know that those that do live an intemperate life, by overcharging their natures, in what kind so- ever, they lose their peace, which they would find if it were otherwise : yet nevertheless, this is not a sin unto death, though I do not encourage any one to live an intemperate life. Yet you may remember, that it was the practice of Christ himself, to keep company with publicans and sinners ; therefore the scribes and pharisees, which were so righteous men, speak evil of Christ, saying, he was a wine bibber, and a friend of publicans and sinners ; neither did Christ pronounce woes to any as he did to those that were so righteous in their own conceit ; it was those that sinned against the Holy Ghost, that unpardonable sin, that will never be 81 forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come. And, you, by the light of Christ within you, leading you to a more preciseness of life than others, you have taken upon you to judge and speak evil of the commission of the Spirit, even as those Jews did by the righteousness of the law in them, they spake evil and blasphemed against Christ, and that Holy Spirit by which he cast out devils, by calling him a deceiver, a blasphemer, and a devil, and this was that sin against the Holy Ghost : so have you sinned that sin unto death, which is not to be pardoned ; for you have not only been with others that have writ- ten and spoken evil of this commission of the Spirit, in giving countenance and credit to the evil report of others, but you have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit that sent me ; by calling the commission of the Spirit a deceit, lies, and a false Spirit ; which hath clearly discovered unto me what seed and na- ture you are of, you being one of the seed of the serpent, you have sinned against the Holy Ghost. Therefore, in obedience to my commission, I do pronounce Susannah Frith cursed, and damned, soul and body, from the presence of God elect, men, and angels, to eternity. Perhaps you will say as you did by Samuel Hooton, and W. S. that you, will not matter it ; but if you can make as light of it as I do that give judgment upon you, it will be well for you ; for I am well satisfied in giving judgment against any person that doth sin against the Holy Ghost, more than any one thing whatsoever. Neither am I willing that any Quaker devil, nor any other should escape, that speaks evil of things they do not know ; for I am no more troubled at their condemnation than the judges of the land are, when they give judgment according to 82 the law, for a man to be put to death. And if that man, so condemned, can make as light of it as the judge doth, let him if he can. So will it be with you, and many hundreds more, (flatter yourselves, and make as light of it as you will) I know it is so decreed by the Creator ; neither will your light of Christ within you prevent it, because you have despised the commission of the Spirit without you. One of the Two last Witnesses and Prophets, unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jesus in Glory. A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Richard Sudbury, bearing date the Sth of December, 1662. Mr. Sudbury, I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date Sep- tember the first, in which I perceive, that your wife and you did expect to have heard before now how I got through my journey. Also i did expect to have heard from you, or Dorothy Carter, before I did send unto you ; which letter I did receive from her the day before I received yours, and she speaketh much to the same purpose as you do, expecting to hear whether I came well to London or no. And as for that, to certify you, I did come well to Barnet that Saturday night, and am well now both in body and 83 mind, but always meeting with opposition both in city and country ; for let them be of what sort or opinion soever, though they be under the hatches of persecution themselves, yet will they be against me ; so that it may be said by me as it was said in another case by Esau, that his hand should be against eveiy one, and every one's hand against him. So it is with me, every opinion in the world is against me, and I against every opinion in the world. And the commission of God, '^vhich is truth, being given unto us two, shall encounter with all opinions and sorts in the world. And whereas you say you understand more clear the Baptist's (fommission counterfeited, 1 am glad that you understand any thing that is truth. I could wish that you might understand things of a more high concernment, that are written in those books ; as concerning the true God, his form and na- ture, the right devil, his form and nature, the persons and nature of angels, the rise of the two seeds, and the mortality of the soul, and the power of a com- mission ; with many other heavenly secrets, never re- vealed to man before, which are plainly declared in those writings, if understood. And though you do say, the Baptist commission is counterfeit, yetlper- ceive you are not clear in the mortality of the soul ; therefore your desire is, that I would give you the interpretation of those verses, Mat. xxvii. 51, 52, 53 verses. It is a more easy thing to read than to write, and more easy to ask questions, than it is to answer : nevertheless, I shall give you some answer to those things, though there is arguments enough in that book to prove the mortality of the soul, and that the soul doth sleep in the dust until the resur- rection, to any man that hath but the least measure L2 84 of true light in him : but because men read scrip- tures, that do seem to speak to the contrary, and they being not alive to give the interpretation and mean- ing of their own words, which is the cause that people read their words, and not understanding them, they go away unsatisfied, and loth they are to believe, that God should send any messenger or interpreter of the Scriptures ; but would fain find out the meaning by the reading of the dead letter, which they never can do ; no more than the eunuch could do without Philip's expounding of it unto him. Neither can any man understand the Scriptures, except there be one or more sent of God to give the interpretation of them. And as for the veil of the temple rending from the bottom to the top, and the stones cleaving asun- der, I have spoken of it in the interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelations ; yet, for your further satisfaction, I shall open it more particularly. The veil of the temple, which was rent, it was an outside building, that was not so beautified as the temple ; so that no man could see the glory or beauty of it but by piercing through the veil : and this tem- ple was that which Solomon built, which was so highly esteemed by the Jews ; and this veil, which was rent, did belong unto it ; and those stones that clave asunder did belong to this veil or temple. These things were done in the natural only to shew the power of Christ's death ; for this temple was not far from the place where Christ was put to death, neither doth the Scripture speak of what stones, they were that clave asunder, nor where. Therefore it must be believed, that it was those stones that did belong to the veil or temple ; because they did signify in the spiritual these two things. First, the veil being rent from the bottom to the 85 top, did signify the worship of the law of Moses, which was a veil upon the people of the Jews face ; so that they could not see that spiritual and heavenly glory, which was in the believing that this Jesus was the Son of God, or the Saviour of the world. Therefore the worship of the law of Moses, which was a veil before the peoples face, was now, by the death of Christ rent in twain from the bottom to the top ; so that the reason of man could never sew it or join it together again unto this day, though it hath been much endeavoured by the seed of reason. Therefore it is said, that Moses put a veil upon his face, it did so shine, that the people of Israel could not look upon it, it was so bright and glorious ; which veil of Moses was only to signify the worship of the law, which was to be rent from the bottom to the top by the death of Christ ; that is, to be torn in pieces, not fit to be used any more by the believers in Jesus. And this did the natural veil of Solomon's temple rending from the bottom to the top signify. And as for the stones cleaving asunder, it did sig- nify in the spiritual the breaking of the stony hearts of the Jews asunder, and the Gentiles too, by causing some of their stony hearts to break in pieces, by faith and love, in believing that this was the son of God. Others again, their stony hearts were broken asun- der with wrath and envy, because the worship of the law was now rent in twain ; so that they could not have life by the righteousness of the law, which made their hearts of stone with envy even ready to burst, as you may read in the Acts, concerning their malice towards Stephen. And for the earthquake there spoken of, you may read in the book of the in- terpretation, there I have opened it something large ; so that there needeth no more to be said of that. But the thing that you aim at, as I perceive, is con- cerning those dead bodies, which slept in the earth, and arose and appeared unto many. First, You must understand the power of Christ's death; and secondly, the power of his resurrection. You find at his death the veil of the temple did rend, and the stones did cleave, and the earth did quake. These things were done at his death, by the power of that; but the graves opening, and the dead bodies arising, was after his resurrection ; which thing was to prove the power of his rising from the dead : there- fore he raised the bodies of many saints which slept, which arose, and appeared unto many. Now you must understand, that it was the bodies of the saints that arose, and came out of the graves, and appeared, and not the bodies of the reprobate, that hated and persecuted him. Also it is to be understood, that those saints that arose out of the graves were but newly fallen asleep or dead, not that they were corrupted or turned to dust, as those are that have been dead a long time ; then could they not have risen with the same bodies as was laid in the graves, but they were raised in the same nature as Lazarus was, that had been four days dead : neither were their bodies spiritualized as the body of Christ was ; that is, they did not rise spiritual bodies ; but the same natural bodies that slept or died, did rise again, and appeared in the temple. You do not read, that they did ever speak or eat afterwards as Lazarus and Christ did ; for Lazarus did live some years afterwards in that natural body which was born, and then died again, and is now asleep in the dust of the earth. 87 But Christ's body rising a spiritual body, it is alive, and behold it is alive for evermore. But you may say, what became of those bodies of the saints which arose. To which I answer, their bodies lay down in the same graves again, and there shall remain until the resurrection : only this was done to shew the power of Christ's resurrection, both in raising up of himself from death to life, and of his power in raising the saints out of their graves. Which thing was but as a little fast, or but as a sign of his great power, which he hath gained to him- self, by his death and resurrection, even power to raise the seed of faith to that eternal happiness, and. to raise the seed of reason to that endless misery, which both seeds shall find at the general day of resurrec- tion ; when it shall be said, Come ye blessed, to the seed of faith, and, Go ye cursed, to the seed of reason. And if you consider these things, they make more for the mortality of the soul than against it. For it doth not say, that spirits rose out of the graves, but bodies, neither did spirits come into them. But the power of Christ's resurrection had an in- fluence on their bodies ; which did cause their bodies to arise to shew his power as aforesaid. More might be said on this thing ; but where true faith is, may easily be understood the truth.. of it. So, with my love to you as a civil man, and to your wife as a true believer, I rest, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. September 8, 1662. 88 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, of Chesterfield, from London, dated the \\thof December, 1662. Dear Friend, Elizabeth Carter, I RECEIVED your letter, and am glad to hear of the benefit that you have received in the belief of this commission, and of your further joy you have received by my being with you. All that I can say in it is, that I am glad to hear that the seed of faith in such tender age should spring up as a fountain of liv- ing water unto eternal life ; and the more strong your faith is grounded upon this commission of the Spirit, the more firm will you stand. It will be as a rock, which no storms nor winds whatsoever shall be able to make it fall ; for every commission from God is a rock, and whosoever doth build upon it will stand sure, when as the sandy foundation, though it seem ever so strong, when the storm of death and the wind of eternal judgment doth come, then it will fall, be- cause it was built upon the sand ; for this personal God is the Head Corner-stone, and that Stone which is laid in Sion ; and blessed are those that build upon it, which none can do but those that have a faith in a commission. Therefore all that seeming shew of righteousnes sin the Quakers and others, it will avail them nothing, because it was built upon the sand, that is, upon an infinite incomprehensible spirit, without a body, which is but a sandy foundation ; they will find so in the end, though they make slight of a God that is 89 cloathed with flesh and bone, yet this flesh and bone is the stone which the builders refused, which is be- come the Head of the Corner. Also it is that stum- bling stone and rock of offence, which everjrman doth stumble at, but those that do believe in nis com- mission of the Spirit ; and you having expressed a great measure of faith in this commission of the O Spirit, all that I shall say this time in this thing is, that you may grow in further understanding, faith ^ and knowledge of these things until you come to the possession of that eternal happiness, which your faith in this commission of the Spirit will lead you unto, Dear Friend, I have sent you the copy of Mr. Hatter's letter to John Leavins ; I would desire you to take a copy of it, and send it me again, because my letter is joined with it. I shall be in London about a month hence; I do intend to take my journey on Tuesday next; so, with my love to your mother and Elizabeth Smith, Mr. Frewteril and his wife, I rest Your Friend in the eternal Truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. M A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, from London, ' date December 15, 1662. Dear Friend in the true Faith, Ellen Sudbury r , -\ th fii ei'Ir vtif- iiii.'U I JHiij " . t *i I RECEIVED your letter with the inclosed, and I have read it over, and I find very little in it more than there was in the other ; nay, the other was the chief master-piece, only towards the latter end of this doth give me better satisfaction than the other did, because in the latter end of this letter doth plainly shew what their God is which they believe in, which is no other but what the Heathen philosophers did declare, and something of Jacob Bemon's philo- sophy ; neither did it arise from their own revelation or experience, nor from the seed of reason within them, but merely by reading other folk's works : for I could, if it were of necessity, shew you a book that doth speak the very same words, and doth give the very same definition of God as they do ; for every Heathen philosopher will say, that God is love, and life, and wisdom, and glory, with many other excel- lencies in himself, and yet not to be defined or dis- tinct, neither is he to be known by his creature. To what purpose then did God send prophets and apostles in^o the world, to tell people of such a God as cannot be defined, nor made known unto man ; when as those that speak the Scriptures, their de- clarations were only to bring men to the knowledge of God; therefore it is said in Scripture, it is life eternal to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 91 It is but turning the words thus : it is life eternal o to know, that this Jesus Christ, which is sent into the world, is the only true God ; for it is better, and a more safe way for a man to believe, that a mere mor- tal man is a God, than to believe God to be an infinite Spirit without a body : for can there be love, life, wisdom, and glory acted forth, and yet have no per- son or body to act in ? Can a man love his wife if she have never a body ? Yet by these, people must love God, and yet he hath no person at all, neither can he be defined nor known, which is contrary to the apostle John's faith ; for, saith he, if thou doest not love thy brother, whom thou doest see, how canst thou love God, whom thou didst never see. And because we never saw God with this natural eye, will it follow therefore, that we must believe that he is no formal person at all ; when as the Scripture doth call upon men to love the Lord their God, with all their hearts, and with all their strength, which is im- possible for men to do, if God had no person at all ; nay, and not only a person, but the very person and form of a man, else a man could never love God ; for men doth love God because he is like God, for every thing doth love its like ; therefore it is that God loves man, because man's person and form is the image and likeness of God, therefore God loves man. Indeed I need not write these things to inform you, for you have given great testimonies of your faith, light, and knowledge in a personal God, which this commission of the Spirit doth declare, which faith of yours shall bear you up above all philosophy know- ledge whatsoever. But I write these things that you may see the more clearly the vanity and emptiness, and how unsatis- ' M 2 92 fied that faith is to the mind whose God hath no form nor person at all, which I know your own experience can witness, you having been acquainted with the Bemonist's principles. You know what satisfaction you found in it, and what you find now in the faith of this commission ; for the faith of this commission will uncover all the cloathing of every opinion, though never so seeming righteous, whereby their nakedness will be seen. Dear Friend, I would desire you to send this letter inclosed as it is directed. I would have sent by the Chesterfield carrier on Friday last, but he was gone a little before I came ; therefore I thought good to put you to the trouble to send it to her, because I am going into Kent this Wednesday : and about a month hence I do intend to be at home again, therefore for the present I shall rest, with iuy love to you and your husband, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. My daughter Sarah and Mr. Hatter desireth to remember their loves to you and your husband. A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Sir Thomas Twisden, dated from fiootam in Kent, January 6, 1663, as follow eth. Sir, I UNDERSTAND that you are a judge of the civil law of the land, and that you are so by commis- sion from the king : I suppose that you are the man which I have heard much of in London, commended for honour and renown in the wisdom and knowledge in the civil laws of England, else I suppose you would not have been chosen for that great place ; which authority of yours I do own, and have always been obedient to the civil laws of the land, both to you and all other judges, neither did I ever break any of the king's laws, neither in the old king's time, nor now in this king's time ; for I never did bear arms against his father, nor for no power then in being, neithei have I had any meetings at my house, nor have beet at any no where else, not since his majesty's resto- ration, nor many years before ; so that it seems very strange, that I, being a free-born man of England, and a freeman of the city of London, and one that hath fined for many offices of the parish where I live, I say it is somewhat strange that I should not have so much liberty as to come into the country to see my wife's mother, with other relations, but I must be hunted after as if I had committed some treason or felonies ; which things I am more innocent of, I think, than any man in the world is at this day. And yet, through the ignorance and darkness of men and women, which know neither the law of God nor the 94 law of the land, they have reported strange things unto you, which have caused you to have a bad opinion of as pure a truth as ever was spoken by prophet or apostle, and to look upon me to be a de- ceiver: but I would have your honour to be careful what judgment you give of spiritual things before you know the cause why, lest you sin against the Holy Ghost, a sin which will never be forgiven, nei- ther in this world, nor in the world to come ; for though you are knowing above most men in the law of the land, and can give judgment accordingly, even as the demerit shall deserve, yet God hath not made you the judge of spiritual and eternal matters, neither are you to judge of blasphemy against God : God himself is the only judge in those matters, and those whom he hath chosen, anointed, and sealed for that purpose, viz. his prophets and apostles, and those whom he hath sent now in this last age of the world. But I suppose you know and do read in the Scrip- tures, that the prophets and apostles of old were counted by the generality of people in their time to be blasphemers and deceivers, and were persecuted thereupon ; nay, the Lord Jesus himself was put to death upon that account, as may be read in the Scriptures. And this I say, those which persecuted men upon the account of blasphemy (they having broke no civil law of the land) I say they would have been the same to the prophets and apostles of old, and to Christ himself, if they had been living in their time. Also I understand you have a desire to see one of my books. Now I do not conceive that you desire to see it in love only, but that you might see what you could pick out of it, that you might have where- 95 withal against me, that you might persecute me the more. Yet nevertheless, I am not afraid of your seeing my writings, nor ashamed of the doctrine contained therein ; nay, I am not afraid if the king's majesty himself should see it ; for my writings are more for the honour of the king, than any dishonour. Therefore, if you please to send a messenger or carrier to London, where I live, and send money, they shall have it, for they cost a great deal of mo- ney the printing, neither will I lend any ; for I find by experience, that when books be lent they are worse liked than when they are paid for : but if I had thought that you had desired to see it in love, you should have had not only one, but three or six pre- sented unto you to peruse. But I think most magistrates and people have for- got the Scripture language, which saith, forget not to entertain strangers ; for some in entertaining strangers have entertained angels : as righteous Lot and faithful Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and divers others, that have received prophets in the name of a prophet, and so have received a prophet's reward, which reward is no less than the blessing of eternal life ; which I suppose all men would willingly have : but instead of receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet, the people receive him as a blasphemer, a liar, and deceiver, and persecute him, and so instead of a prophet's blessing they receive a curse of eternal damnation. . This I know to be true, by great experience, these twelve years; for 1 have found more malice in the country where I have been a stranger and a pilgrim (as most prophets were) nay they will neither receive me themselves, nor suffer others that would ; yet I 96 meddle with no man, neither do I invite any one to come where I am, but would rather they would for- bear coming near me; for most people come to me only to try me, to catch words out of me, as the Scribes and Pharisees did to the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might have something to accuse me of to the rulers. But I hope you being a ruler of the people (for every judge is a ruler) will not be an accuser and per- secutor yourself ; but if you be I shall be made able by the power of faith to bear it. And what I have written, and the sentences T have and do pronounce, I shall willingly (if the laws of England will do it) seal it with my blood. But it would be better and more commendable to do as Nicodemus (a ruler in Israel) did, which came to Christ by night to ask him questions. Surely Nicodemus did not come to entrap and catch Christ in his words, whereby to have something against him to persecute him, but asked questions in love, desiring to be resolved ; which was a good character, that this ruler came to Christ in love, and that he was an elect vessel. r ' : [ v , It would be good for all rulers if they could follow his example in spiritual matters ; for indeed rulers are to be learned and wise, to declare the matters of this world (as David doth say in the Psalms) for God hath chosen few rulers to be prophets to declare his mind. And that is the very cause so many rulers did persecute the prophets and apostles ; you may read, that the rulers of Israel did persecute the pro- phets, and the rulers of Israel did persecute the apostles. Likewise I have had my share of persecution by the rulers of England, for these twelve years ; but 97 what they and all persecuting rulers have got by it will do them but little good, for they procured no less than the sentence and seal of eternal damnation to themselves ; neither will they be delivered from it ; for no persecutor of a prophet, as he is a prophet, can be saved, that prophet not being guilty of the breach of the civil law of the land. Therefore it is good for judges and rulers of the land to mind the place they are set in, and to judge of those things they know, viz. the laws of the land : and let them do righteous judgment according to the known law of the land, and they shall do well, and not to meddle with that which God hath reserved to himself, and will give power and judgment in spiritual matters to whom he please. Therefore I should desire you to persist no further in persecuting of men for spiritual matters, lest you persecute the truth instead of a lie, and call that blasphemy which God doth own to be revealed by his Holy Spirit, and so come within the compass of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, a sin that never will be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come. Neither would I have you to think scorn to be ad- vised by one so low, and you so high ; for my power is as great in spiritual matters as yours is in things of nature. And as your commission is to be judge from the king which I do own, so is my commission in spiritual things from the King of Heaven. And as your commission will bear you out in all things you do according to the law of the land ; so will my commission from God bear me out in what I do upon a spiritual account. I have been more large than I did intend, but N 98 things of this nature cannot be expressed in few words, as other things may be ; but I shall say no more at present, but rest, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. And if you would be any further informed of me, and rny writings, you may have, for twenty-pence, a book, at my mother Marty n's, called, The Quakers Neck broken, that will inform you further both of me and my writings. \!f . From Rootam in Kent, January 6, 1663. , A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, dated April 3, 1663 My dear Friend, Elizabeth Carter, :t9V. ; O.-: ;', I READ over your letter, and though the lines of your letter are but few, yet I find they are very pithy, and full of substance ; which I am much re- joiced to see, and so much the more, in that one so young should grow so far in perfection of faith, as to know that the words or writings of faith should speak peace to the soul of a believer, and to cast yourself upon this rock, and if you perish, to perish there; which you have done well, for you cannot but grow in peace and satisfaction that casts itself upon a true 99 prophet, it is as if they did cast themselves upon God himself, for a true prophet is in God's stead, and they that receive him so, shall receive a prophet's reward, which is no less than eternal life. For this I would a little inform you further, that there is no man nor woman, but they must have some prophet or minister or other, to pitch their faith upon, else they cannot be quiet in their minds, except they be Atheists. And seeing there is a necessity that there must be a sandy foundation and a rock, or a false and a true ; and this sandy foundation is so large, that almost all the world doth build upon it ; and the rock is so little, that there can but few build upon it ; it hath but one Chief Corner-stone, even God himself; but the world builds all upon the sand that have never a corner- stone at all to bear up their building, when the storm of death comes. Therefore you may see what a multitude of mes- sengers, ministers, and ambassadors there is in this world, of all sects and opinions, and every one of the messengers have store of people which do build upon them, which may be evident to a discerning eye that they all build upon the sand ; and that there should be but one true prophet in the world at this day, and that such young ones as you, and Elizabeth Smith, should build upon this commission of the Spirit, which is a sure rock of salvation. There are other young ones in other places, which I find to be rather more confident, and do grow more in the faith of this commission than some that are of older years. .The cause why it is so, is, because they were catcht in faith's net before any other form of re- ligion had laid hold on them. I write these few lines to you for the further con- N2 100 firmation and growth of your faith ; so that you may receive the more full assurance here in this life, which is an hundred fold; and in the life to come, life everlasting. No more at present, but my love to yourself. I rest your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. April 3, 1663. I ~ti no A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, of Chesterfield, bearing date Aprils, 1663. ; Dear and fazing Friend in the true Faith, Dorothy Carter, I RECEIVED your letter with your daughter's inclosed, and am glad to hear you are well in health, and more especially in your faith and confidence of this commission of theJSpirit ; and I do find every where, both in city and country, that those that do lay the greatest weight upon this commission do find the greatest peace and satisfaction in their minds, and are the more able to encounter with opposition where they meet with it ; for it is a hard matter for any of this faith to escape being opposed, because this commission and the faith of it fight against all the world. 101 For this being the faith of God's elect, it fights against all sects and opinions in religion in the world, and all opinions have a faith in that opinion they are of; but it is but the faith of devils, whatsoever they pretend. ^Vhy? Because there is none knows the true God, in his form and nature ; and how is it pos- sible that any man should have true faith, and yet not know the true God. Therefore that faith which is built upon a false God must needs be no other but the faith of devils : therefore how few is there in the world at this day that can say as Paul did, / have fought a good jight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, and henceforth there is laid up forme a crown of righteousness, U'hich God the righteous Judge shall give ? Can any one fighfe the fight of faith, and yet not know the true God ? And that is the very cause so many die unsa- tisfied in death ; because they know not the true God, yet they despise that man that should declare him unto them ; but they would have God to do it himself, and yet their God, in their imagination is so big, so infinite and incomprehensible, that he can- not be known nor comprehended by his creature. And yet they would have this unknown God to save them. Therefore you that are enlightened in your under- standing, who can by faith comprehend what the true God is, in his form and nature, you may see how the whole world lyeth in wickedness, ignorance, and darkness ; neither can the world fight a good fight of faith ; no, none can truly do so but those that have believed our report. You speak in your letter of a man that came out of the North ; it will be well for him if it be given 102 him truly to understand these things ; but I have heard nothing of him as yet. This letter of yours came when I was in Cambridge- shire ; I have been little at home since Christ-tide ; and the very morning that I went into Cambridge- shire, I received four letters from Mr. Hudson, two of them from Quakers there in Lancashire, which Mr. Hudson would have me send the sentence to those two Quakers and to a Presbyterian minister, which I have had no leisure to send till now : the same day as I deliver yours to the carrier, I shall send his. He is well, and remembers his love to all our friends of the faith. I have remembered yours and Ellen Sudbury's love to him. Also I have received since I came home a Quaker's letter, and a copy of Edward Bourne's letter, of Mrs. Griffith, which I cannot have leisure to answer at pre- sent ; but I do intend to send an answer the next re- turn of the carrier. My daughter is pretty well reco- vered of her sickness ; she received your kindness which you sent, of Mr. Griffith, and desireth to re- member her kind love to you and your daughter. I think her husband doth intend to write to you him- self; therefore I shall say no more, only my love re- membered to yourself, Elizabeth Smith, and the rest, Mr. Frewterill and his wife, with my love to Ellen Sudbury when you can. So resteth your Friend in the eternal Faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. *!:,'-'?. London, April 3, 1663. ' !fi"' * Mrs. Griffith remembers her kirid love unto you. 103 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleto?i, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, bearing dale from London, May 8, 1663. My dear Friend in the eternal Truth, Dorothy Carter, I HAVE bad a great desire to have sent to you before now, but I have been much hindered by other occasions, but it is not for want of love that I did not write to you before now ; yet I am much straitened for time as ever I was, but I having finished an an- swer to Richard Farnesworth's letter, and taken a copy of it, have sent it to you, with Edward Ber- nard's letter ; so that if you think good to take a copy of this Richard Farnesworth's letter, you may, before you deliver it ; it will be some labour, but it will be necessary, though it may be hereafter it may be put in print. For there are some friends here in London, that are very desirous to have this letter of Richard Farnesworth's with my anawer ; and that letter of Samuel Hooton's and W. S. which they sent to me first, and my answer of the four sheets to them, printed; which, perhaps, I may trouble you for some small matter towards the printing of them : but the captain that is the most desirous to have them printed, hath a son that did own this commis- sion, and he is dead beyond the seas, in a place called Antego, which is a great grief to his father, both in respect as he was in the faith of this com- mission, and in respect of his temporal estate, for he had a great charge with him of his father's. 104 So that I do not know how things will fall out as to that, but when such a thing is resolved upon, I shall give you notice of it. So, being in haste I shall only remember my love to yourself, and to your daughter, and Betty Smith, and all the rest of our friends of the faith therewith, if there be any ; not forgetting my dear friend in the true faith, Ellen Sudbury. I long to hear how she and her husband doth. So restethyour Friend in the true Faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. May 8, 1663. -VjH 1: I should be glad to hear from you as soon as you can. My daughter Sarah and her Husband remem- ber their kind loves unto you, and so doth Mr. Hatter, with many other friends unknown to you, yet remember their love to you. A Letter of the Prophet Lodowicke Muggletons to Mr. Richard Sudbury, May 19, 1663. ilr;f,'. r Loving Friend, Richard Sudbury , ..IIO'J ;.: ' > I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date the first of May, 1662. I am glad to hear that you are in health, and more especially that you do understand something more than you did when I was with you, of the form and 105 nature of God, and the form and nature of the right devil ; and the difference betwixt the seed of reason, and the seed of faith, and the nature of a commission. The knowledge of these things when they are sunk deep into the heart and do not remain only in the head ; I say they will make you wiser than your fathers, and will yield you more peace and satisfac- tion to your mind, than all the religions and opi- nions in the world besides can do ; because the know- ledge of these things, it gives a peace which the world cannot give ; nor no righteousness which is acted or wrought by the seed of reason, let it be ever so pure, it is but the righteousness of the law ; and by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified, but by the righteousness of faith are we justified in the sight of God, and hath peace in God ; and this justification and peace, it doth arise from the seed of faith which is God's own nature, and this is that which is called in Scripture the divine nature of God ; where it is said, speaking to believers, We are partakers of his divine nature : now if God hath a divine nature, of necessity he must have a person, for there can be no nature of God, angels, man, nor any other creature nor thing, but it must have a person or substance ; now a spiritual substance hath a nature as well as that which is natural. So that God having; a divine nature, he must needs i have a spiritual, heavenly, and divine substance ; and according to the faith of the Scriptures, this sub- stance of God is no other but the form of a man, and this God-Man is no other but Christ Jesus, which is the Alpha Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, he that was dead and is alive, and behold he is alive for evermore. Neither can there be any true peace to any upon the earth, but in the believing it O 106 was God that poured out his soul unto death, and rose again, and is now living in that same body; and the faith in this gives true peace to the mind here, and the assurance of eternal life hereafter, which can never be known but in and by a commission, this being the last, and of the highest nature ; which I am glad that you do confess a belief in, which is more than I did think you would have done when I was with you, for you being wrapped up and en- tangled with Jacob Bemon's principles and disciples with a little smatch of the Quakers, that there would foave been no room for truth to take place in you ; but I see now it is otherwise, for now you would wish to see me ; but when I was with you I could discern no such thing, neither can I tell as yet whe- ther ever I shall see you again, except you do come to London about some business. I shall be glad to see you, but if ever I have any occasion to come within twenty or thirty miles of you, I shall come and see you. I understand by your letter that you are got into the bishop's court, that is a thing that is common every where in the countries, but as for us at London, we are very quiet as to that ; so people will forbear meeting, and pay tithes and taxes, they may live quiet enough here ; but I have been in Cambridge- shire and spent the most part of this winter, and they are cited into the bishop's court for not going to church, and some for not baptizing their children, as )^ou are, but there is none of this faith that doth go, except one or two that are weak and fearful, and loth to part with a little money to preserve a good conscience free from idolatry ; but some of our friends have been cited in very oft, and would not appear, but at last the apparitors did arrest them 107 with a writ to appear at the Quarter-Sessions, and there they were made to pay ten shillings a piece, so that they could do them no further harm for six, month's time ; others again, if they did appear at the first summons, they paid seventeen shillings, and were discharged ; for it is only a money business. Therefore my advice to you is to give the appari- tor his fee ; if you do give him something more than what is stated by their laws, perhaps he will put out your name, if not, appear at the court, and pay the charges of it ; for there is no oaths, nor any thing else imposed upon you, but only pay the charges of the court and be gone ; but if you let it run till you be suspended, that will be taken off for eight shillings,, for it is only to get money : now there is some baptists, and others, that will not pay any money at all, so that they do proceed to excommunication : now what the event of their excommunication is I cannot hear, but I do advise all our friends rather to part with a little money, for that is it that all courts do look for ; and so preserve their temporal well-being, and their conscience, free from idolatry ; for money is Caesar's, Therefore give Ccesar the things that are Ccesars, and God the things that are his; for all tribute and taxes which is laid upon the people, by the power of the nation, whether it be the spiri- tual courts so called, or the civil courts, it is all Caesar's tax, and so ought to be paid by all those that love peace of conscience better than money. Therefore my advice is that you would do as before- said, for I know a little money will let you free in this matter. No more at present, but my love to yourself. ., I rest. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. May 19, 1663. O 2 108 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowickc Muggleton, to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, bearing date from London, May the 19th. 1663. Dear Friend, in the true Faith, Ellen Sudbury. low iii I AM glad to hear a few lines from you, and though you have not been well in body, yet I per- ceive you have grown more strong in the faith of this commission, and in the assurance of eternal life, which is the chiefest and greatest thing that can be attained in this life ; which faith of yours shall carry you up here in this life, and not only so, but accord- ing to your faith it shall be unto you, for you shall see your God face to face, in that kingdom of eternal glory. And this faith which you have in this commission of the Spirit, is that earnest of the Spirit which is the evidence of things not seen, and the substance of things hoped for. There is no knowing of God, nor any things above the stars, but by faith, therefore without faith it is impossible to please God, neither can a man please himself without faith, for great and wonderful things have been done by the power of faith ; and yet the peace of mind, and the assurance of eternal life, is greater than all. For the time was, when as I would have given the whole world if it had been in my power; nay, I would willingly t have laid down my life to have procured favour with God, or to know my eternal happiness, but could not ; but now eter- nal life is freely given me, made known to me, I am not so willing to lay down my life as I was before ; for before, I thought to procure peace with God by suffering^ which could not be ; but now, by faith, J i; O 109 have obtained the assurance of eternal life without laying down my life. So that what I suffer now it is from life, and not to gain life, which all men which have not this faith do suffer to gain life, and not from any true life of faith ; neither can they say the life that they live is by the faith of the true God, as we can, for if God hath never a person, (as they say) there can be no true faith at all : therefore be not you discouraged because of the fewness that believe or receive this commission of the Spirit ; for if there should be none but yourself in those parts, yet your faith and blessedness, which hath been declared upon you, shall bear you up, and confirm you the more, both of the truth of the Scriptures, and of the doctrine that is held forth by this commission of the Spirit, for the Scriptures are full of sure examples ; here and there one, that did receive a prophet in the name of a prophet. And as for William Watson's tempting of you to speak evil of me, I know that is the nature of the devil so to do. And as for his going up and down with Richard Farnesworth's letter, saying that he durst, and himself speak evil of me, that belongs only to the devil so to do, especially those that are damned by me ; for it is not Richard Fames worth's letter, nor all the men in the world, and letters, that can or shall take off his damnation again. But if William Watson do but read, or hear my answer read to Richard Farnesworth's letter, he will have small cause to boast of that letter. I hope our friend Dorothy Carter hath taken a copy of it before now, expecting that she will send it to you, though I did not desire her so to do when I sent it, yet I hope you have it before you receive this. uo Therefore let the devil Watson, and all they that are under the sentence of this commission, rage and do what they can, they shall never take away that assurance of eternal life from you, neither shall they deliver themselves from that damnation which I have pronounced upon them. No more at present, but my love to yourself. I rest your friend in the eternal Truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. A Copy of a letter written ty the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, bearing date from London, June 19> 1663. Dear and toning Friend in the eternal Truth, Dorothy Carter, I RECEIVED your letter bearing date May 18th, 1663, and am glad to hear of your health, and more especially of your faith and confidence in this commission of the Spirit, for that will make your life both comfortable here, and happy hereafter. I had given you an answer before now, but that I was to go into Kent at that time when I received yours, and was there a matter of eight or ten days; but now being at home again, I snail give you an answer to those things of most concernment in your letter The first thing is, I am glad your daughter hath so good an opinion of Richard Sudbury, as to give testimony of his faith in this commission of the Spirit. Ill Indeed I do find by his writing, that he is very much enlightened in the knowledge of many things which this commission doth declare, to what he did when I was there : also I do see by his letters that there is love to truth, which was not in him then. Indeed I did little expect that ever he would have received the doctrine of the true God, and the right devil, not in the love of it. But this I will say, he will know, to lr.s everlasting peace, the difference between Jacob Bemon's doctrine and the doctrine of this commission of the Spirit, which he, nor no other can do, but by faith in this commission of the Spirit. 1 hope he and his wife are well, and those friends that Avere to be at your house this Witsuntide. The second thing is, that you and Mr. Frewterill are cited into the bishop's court, for which you would have my advice. I shall give you the same advice as I do all other believers in the countries, for they are cited into the bishop's court every where in the countries ; some of the believers do pay their monies, and so they pro- ceed no further ; yet they lye liable to be cited again every month, but I do not hear they are so extreme as to do it, for it is but to get a crown or an angel a year of you, that is all they look after ; and if a man be able, he had better do it and pay it, for his quiet- ness sake, than to stand it out* Others again that are poor, are excommunicated quite, and so they re- main, and that is as far as they can go. I do not understand that the bishop's courts have any such power not as yet to strain upon any man's goods for the charges of the court, according to the old law formerly they had, but except the Parlia- ment do revive and ratify that law a-ncw, they dare 112 not put it in execution : else excommunication can go no further than thus, that is to say, you shall be cast out of the church, so that you shall not be par- takers of the ordinances of God, not as to receive the sacraments ; and if you die, you shall not be buried in the church-yard, nor have Christian burial, as they call it ; and if you have any debts owing to you, you shall not have the benefit of the law to get your own. These, and such-like, are the effects of excommu- nication: therefore, in my judgment, it is better to give them their fees now while it is but little, so you can keep the mind free from oaths and worship ; it is better let them have some of your money, for that is the world's God, for money will buy off excommu- nication, condemnation, and worship ; and all that the bishop's courts can do, or they aim at, is but money, for if you be damned afterward they care not, so they can but get your money ; therefore you need not much trouble yourself about that, for a little money will deliver you out of that trouble. We are very quiet here at London as to that, but only taxes go on more and more ; but, as for wor- ship, it is not here, so we do not meet nor neglect paying of tythes, we worship who or what we will ; the cause, I believe, is of the sectary party, four for one, if not more, so that it is impossible for them to bring the people to an uniformity of worship ; and for watching of schools, the bishop's licence will hold good, for there is a friend of mine of this faith, which did keep a school before the king came in, but when the bishop's courts were settled they would not let him keep school without a licence, and that was a hard matter to get without swearing, or going to church : he went to thq secretary of the bishop's 113 court, being of his acquaintance, and told him, if he would help him to a licence he would give him con- tent ; the secretary told him he could not well do it, except he would show himself at church, or swear. My friend said he could not swear, nor go to church, and if he could not do it without those two things, he must lay it down. So, at the last, the officer did promise to get him one : and so he did, without swearing or going to church ; it cost my friend but six shillings and eight pence, and so he left his con- science free from offence. And because you may see that this school-master is one of this faith, I have sent you a letter of his, which he sent to me lately, but I would have you send it me again as soon as you can ; he liveth near Cambridge, but it was at the bishop's court at Cambridge that he had his licence. And as for that Evans at Nottingham, I do not know the man, neither was he of our society, for I know all that have been of our society, and have slunk away; there is none of them that dare speak evil of that which they did formerly own, neither was there ever any families ruined by following us, but many families have been upheld and preserved by us. How is it possible that any families should be ruined by us, when ,we never lay any burthens upon any ; for my part, all the while that John Reeve was living, I never had two-pence of all the believers in England, except it was of one gentleman, but have spent many a pound for the commission-sake ; for I do believe I was above forty pounds the worse in mv estate for this commission, for I did not live of the Gospel, as the apostles did, without working ; I have been more true in that particular than ever any apostle was, or ever any Quaker was, for there can- P 114 not be so many speakers of the Quakers but they must be maintained by their disciples, which I never was, neither was John Reeve, for John Reeve's wife and his daughter did get most part of his living, for if he had got no more than what was given him, it was but little, for he never laid no burthen upon any ; if they were moved to give him sometimes Is. Is. 6d. or 2s. 6d. so it was, he never compelled any, but they did it freely of themselves, which could not ruin any family ; neither was he ever drunk in his life, to my knowledge, for he was too innocent and sober-natured a man to be drunk : but I conceive this Evans is mistaken in the man, I believe it was John Reeve's brother, for he, indeed, towards his latter end, was grown a drunkard and sot, and, per- haps, this Evans was of his society, which was upon the rant, and the ranters indeed did ruin many fami- lies. There have been divers others that have laid aspersions upon John Reeve, because of his brother's foolish practice ; but, as for himself, he was, in that point, as a child that weaned is ; but no body can help people's believing of lies, no more than we can help believing of truth. Therefore let the Quakers believe what they will of John Reeve, that will not deliver them from the sen- tence which he and I have passed upon them ; and as for this Evans, but that I think he is mistaken in the man, I would have sent the sentence to him for his lies. And as for my coming down to see you, I cannot possibly promise you at present, but I do think our friend Mr. Hatter must go into Yorkshire about a month hence at the farthest, and he doth intend to be one night at Mr. Sudbury's, for that is in his way, so that he cannot come to you, but I suppose he will 115 send you word when he will be there, so that, if you can, you may meet with him there, and, if I can possibly, I will come along with him, for I have a desire to see you all over again; and the more, because Mr. Sudbury hath given such testimonies of his faith in the true God, and his desire to see me. No more at present, but my love to yourself, your Daughter, and Elizabeth Smith, and all the rest of our friends in the Faith. Your Friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter in Chesterfield, bearing date from London, July the iSth, 1663. Dear Friend, I THOUGHT good to give you notice, though I am uncertain myself, but, I think, Mr. Hatter will be at Mr. Richard Sudbury's on Wednesday night, being the 23d of July, and if he does come, as I suppose he will, for he must come then or not at all, for he cannot stay above a day longer if he comes at all ; and if he comes out on Monday or Tuesday, I do intend to come along with him, but if he doth not come at all, I will come myself the next week after; but, if you can, be at Ellen Sudbury's on Wednesday next, that you may see Mr. Hatter, for P 2 116 he goes no nearer you than Nottingham ; and if you do lose your labour in seeing him, you may take com- fort in seeing your cousin Sudbury, for I cannot give the certainty of it, yet I thought good to send by the post this Saturday night, else I could not convey any notice of it to you, for he must come at a day's warn- ing, so that no letter could be conveyed unto you, neither can he stay at Ellen Sudbury 's but one night ; and as for my staying with you longer than I did before, that I cannot do, but I do intend to stay with you about so long time as I did before. So being in haste, I" shall take leave, with my love remembered unto yourself, and unto your daughter, and Elizabeth Smith, and all other friends. I rest Your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Thomas Highfeild, Gardener in Not- tingham, bearing Date from Chesterfield, July 31, 1663. V' ; ;' jd Thomas Uighfeild, I UNDERSTAND that you are a Quaker, and that the Quakers do sometimes meet at your house, so that you cannot be ignorant of those letters of Samuel Hooton, and W. S. which they sent to me, 117 and of my answer to them, as also that letter of Richard Furnesworth's, and my answer to him. In which letters of mine you may see, if you have but the single eye of faith, why I do oppose that sort of people more than any other sect of religion, be- cause, as I have expressed in those letters, the Quakers are the greatest fighters against God's being a person of himself (of any) they being led and guided by the spirit of antichrist in this last age, which is transformed into the likeness of an angel of light, for that they have got their God all within O J / them ; so that they deny God to have a person or body of his own without them, so that they are that spirit of antichrist that doth deny the Father and the Son, that is, they deny Jesus Christ to have become in the flesh ; I mean they deny Jesus Christ to have flesh and bone of his own, which is the same flesh and bone that he suffered death in ; I say that same flesh and bone is now living in heaven above the stars, and not as the Quakers do vainly imagine him to be, all diffused into spirits, and so he is gotten into them ; and this is that which they call the light of Christ in them, and so they say that Christ is in them from that Scripture, where it is said, Know ye not that Christ is in you, except you be reprobates ; never con- sidering that saying in Scripture, Let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith. Now that which dwells in a man's heart by faith, it doth not dwell in a man's heart in its person and essence, for if one man had the person and essence of God in him, then I say God can be in one particular person, as he was in the body of Christ ; therefore it is said in Scripture, That the fulness of the godhead dwelt bodily in him, that is, the essence, substance, spirit and being of God was com- 118 passed all within that body of Christ, which was flesh, blood and bone in the state of mortality, and so the godhead life was made capable to suffer the pains of death ; therefore it is said concerning Christ's death, that he was offered up through the eternal Spirit, so that the eternal Spirit quickening into life again, it raised that flesh and bone again, and in the raising again it was made spiritual, and so became capable to ascend above the stars, where he now is in that same body which he suffered death in ; so that Christ cannot be in every man's body, not in his spiritual person and essence, but he may dwell in all men's hearts by faith, though he be not in the world at all ; if men have but so much faith as to believe that flesh of Christ to be the flesh of God, and that blood of his to be the blood of God ; this is to eat his flesh, and drink his blood, and so they shall never die, that is, that eternal death ; so that it is not the light of Christ within a man that will deliver from eternal death, but faith in the person of Christ with- out a man. This I know to be truth, I being one of the two last chosen witnesses of the Spirit, to declare what the form and nature of the true God is, the form and nature of the right devil ; the place and nature of hell ; and the right heaven ; the person and nature of angels ; the mortality of the soul ; with many other heavenly mysteries which do arise from the knowledge of these six heads, which hath been declared in our writings, which I do suppose you cannot be ignorant of, and you being of that form, and others of the Quakers ; therefore, by virtue of my commission, I am moved to write these lines unto you, I knowing that the Quakers are led and guided by the spirit of Antichrist, which is nothing else 119 but the devil transformed into an angel of light ; but that light within them being darkness, it is the greatest darkness of all the seven churches. And though you in that way do seem to be the most pure in shew and righteousness of life, yet your righteousness of life is but legal, which is nothing else but the righteousness of the law, which no flesh shall be justified by ; for that which you call the light of Christ within you, is nothing else but the light of the moral law which is written in your seed and nature, which is reason, which doth cause your thoughts to accuse and excuse, which is no other but what the heathens had before the law was given to Moses ; but as for the righteousness of faith, you Quakers are totally ignorant of, and so not being jus- tified by faith, you cannot have peace with God. Therefore do not you think that the righteousness of life can save you, for it is but the righteousness of the law; and though vou ought not to leave this O ** O righteousness of the law undone, because it is good amongst men, but nothing but faith in the true God, and that righteousness that flows from it, can justify the mind, and give true peace as to eternal happiness, which is impossible you Quakers should have, seeing you deny the object of faith, which is the body and flesh and bone of God. I write not these lines unto you as expecting you to decline your principle, for you are too deeply ri- veted in that lie to come to truth ; yet because you shall be left without excuse, I have written these lines unto you, that you may know there is a true prophet now in England, which hath declared truth unto you, or set life and death before you ; but it is the nature of your principle to chuse death rather than life ; therefore, by virtue, power and authority 120 of my commission, I do charge and command you (as I have done many of the preachers of the other six churches) that you would leave off speaking or preaching of that lying doctrine which the Quakers teach, which is to mind the light within them, but deny the body and person of Christ without them; neither have you any commission to do as you do, for the light within a man was never a sufficient com- mission to make a man a minister, messenger^ or ambassador of Christ. Therefore, if you shall exercise the office of a pub- lic preacher, or gather the people to meet at your house upon a religious account (for you do but de- ceive yourselves, and other ignorant and silly people;) therefore, if you shall do any of these things aforesaid, after the receipt of this letter, then, for this your disobedience unto this commission of the Holy Spirit, I do pronounce you cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the two last Witnesses and Prophets unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jesus, in Glory. '1 J yini & ei ifirnf Imj 121 A Copy of a Letter written by the prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Good-wife Wylds, William Young, and Thomas Martyn of Kent, dated from London, August 27, 1663. I UNDERSTANDING that you three are fallen in your minds from that true faith, and spiri- tual worship, which doth belong to this spiritual commission, and so have given up yourselves to worship as the priests of the nation do ; for I under- stand that you three do all go to church, to save yourselves from suffering a little damage in your out- ward estates, which you will find contrary to your expectations. I thought that you had been very well satisfied about that the last time I was with you ; but your faith was not tried as it is now. Yet you, Goody Wylds, had no intent to go to the public worship ; then, however, you did pretend unto me it was but for the trial of other believers ; but now it doth appear otherwise ; and Thomas Martyn could say unto you, that you should lose your peace, and be damned to the grave's mouth, and yet he himself should do the same thing, there being at that time no trial put upon him. Oh ! how strong is mens faith where there is no trial of it ; but that faith which doth endure the fiery trial to the end shall receive the crown of life. But I perceive that you, because you were blessed by John Reeve, think you shall not be damned, though you do bow your knee to Baal, or worship Baal ; but I would not have you so ignorant as to think, that you can shew yourselves at church, to Q 122 save your estates, and yet not to worship a false God. Is not all the worship of the nation set up by man ? and if man conicfcand you to worship, or else to pay your money, if you do obey to save your money, do you not worship as the nation doth ? and if the wor- ship of the nation be true, then the worship of God in spirit and truth (which this commission of the Spirit holds forth) must be false. For, deceive not yourselves, you cannot serve God in spirit and truth, and give your bodies to the worship of the nation ; for where the heart is, there is the body also ; and where the body is, there is the heart ; and it can be no otherwise : therefore do not blind your eyes as to think that you may shew yourselves at church to save yourselves from sufferings, and yet own this commis- sion of the Spirit, you are mightily mistaken if you think to do so. But I have learned experience by by this your fall, you Goody Wylds and Thomas Martyn, which were the strongest in faith, revelation, and experience in this commission of the Spirit in all that country, and yet the least able to suffer any thing for it, notwithstanding this commission of the Spirit hath freed you from abundance of bondages and entanglements which other sects do undergo ; a yoak which our fathers, the apostles and saints, did undergo in their times. These things this commission of the Spirit hath freed the believers of it from that bondage, which all other sects are under to this day : and yet now there is a little trial, how few is there that will hold out to the end. And if your faith cannot abide the trial of losing a little money or imprisonment, what would you do if it were death itself, as all other commissions have suffered death for their worshipping of God contrary to the worship of the nation ; neither doth this com- 128 mission lay such a strict law upon the believers of it, as Christ did upon his ; for except a man would for- sake father and mother, wife and children, house and land, for his sake, they were not worthy of him. But you will not forsake the tempation of your husband, nor the other two the brawling of their wives, for the faith's sake; but you have done much like unto Ahab ; you have sold yourself to work spiritual witch- craft, through the temptation of your husband, and their wicked wives. For this I say to you, that temptations will come, but happy are they that are not overcome by temp- tations ; far our Lord was tempted of the devil, but not overcome. And so hath all prophets, apostles, and saints, been tempted by the devil without, as well as by the devil reason within. But those as have overcome the temptations of the devil without, and the devil within, they shall come forth as gold tried in the fire. But I perceive you three have been overcome by the temptation of the devil with- out and within both. You, by the devil your husband without you, and the other two by the serpents their wives without them, with some other by-ends, which your reason the devil did lay hold on, which have overcome the seed of faith in you, and hath carried it captive into prison, and hath made shipwreck and spoil of your faith ; neither do I think that you will ever be delivered into that liberty and assurance of eternal life as you had before ; for you have quenched the spirit of truth and revelation, which did run as a river of living water in you : it will run but little in you now, hardly to bear you up into the assurance of eternal life; for you know not what you have done in forsaking the worship of the living God, and joined to the worship of the nation. For if their worship Q 2 124 be true, then this worship we have professed is false. Again, did not this commission of the spirit deliver you, Goody Wylds, from all our sins, which were more and greater than ordinarily is committed by other people ; and not only so, but your faith in it, and Thomas Martyn's, it made you strong in faith, revelation, and experience, above all in that country. It was a crown of glory upon your heads ; but you have pulled it off your head, and trampled it under your feet, by bowing your knee unto Baal, for you were much like unto Sampson for strength. For your faith and revelation in this commission of the Spirit did break all the cords of the Philistine's asunder ; that is, all the arguments and reasonings, which other sects brought from the Scriptures to bind you withal ; but now you are become like Sampson, when his hair was cut he was like another man, and so had his eyes pulled out. So it is with you, you are become now like other men, for your eye of faith is pulled out, and your eye of reason will be pulled out shortly also ; so that you will be as weak in the true faith as other men, or any other experience : for the devil hath caught you fast enough now, he hath got you to bow down to his worship. Let it be out of hypocrisy, or out of sin- cerity of heart, the devil matters not for that, you have yielded obedience unto him, and you will have much ado to get out of the snares of the devil to your lives end, think of it what you will ; for it is a dangerous thing to find that grace might abound, be- cause you think you shall not be damned to eternity for it, therefore you will do despite to the spirit of grace, so that you may be set down, like prophane Esau, who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. 125 What have you done less than he, who have valued the fears of the loss of some of the goods of this world more than a good conscience, and faith to- wards God, which gives the assurance of eternal life, which I am certain you will lose the sense of ? Neither will your mess of pottage be any bigger for what you have done, but rather the less ; for it must be as Christ said in another case, he that is willing to lose his life shall save it ; so, on the contrary, you that are willing to save your mess of pottage, you shall lose it. For I say, it is hard for the devil to get a mess of pottage in this world as it is for the saint, let them bow down e'er so much ; for you will see, in a short time, what profit it will be unto you in this world. Neither will you eat your mess of pottage with that peace of mind as you had before ; for this art of yours, it will be as gall and wormwood in your pot- tage ; it will be worse than playing at cards, and be- ing drunk, or all the sins that you committed in the days of your ignorance. For God was always more angry at Israel's worshipping a false God, than any other sin whatsoever ; becau'se other sins were infir- mities of nature, which nature cannot avoid, it being naturally prone unto it. But this bowing down to worship that which you know to be false, neither do you do it because you own it to be truth, but only through slavish fear of suffering some loss in this world ; which thing is worse seven times than if you had owned it to be the true worship of God, as other people do. Therefore do not deceive yourselves, and count it your liberty, as if you had more liberty in point of worship, by this commission of the Spirit, than the rest of the believers have ; for some of the believers of this commission have suffered more in their outward 126 estates than ever you would have done, yet they have thought themselves happy in that they kept their hearts pure and undefined from that spiritual whore- dom to worship a false God, or bow to the false wor- ship, contrary to the faith they have in this commis- sion of the Spirit : for if all the believers of this com- mission of the Spirit should do as you liave done, it would be but a vain thing for them to dispute or plead for the doctrine of the true God, and the right devil, with many other heavenly mysteries, which no other forms of worship do know. And as you have been instruments to publish and make known this doctrine, which thing was a crown of honour upon your heads, but now you have done the greatest dishonour to this commission of the Spirit that could be done ; so that your glory will be your shame. For it will be but a vain thing for you to profess any faith in this commission of the Spirit any more ; for I shall never own you as I did before; neither can I have that love and affection for truth's sake, as I had before ; neither do I care for ever seeing you any more. Yet I shall bear the shame of it, and though you should all of you fall, so that I should be left alone, as Elijah was, yet my faith shall bear me up. And if you find the same peace as you did when you lived in the obedi0nce of faith of this commission of the Spirit, then hath God revealed no truth unto me. I shall say no more, but leave you to the worship of the nation, and as fallen from the true faith in the true God. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the two last Prophets unto the true God- London, August 29, 1663. 127 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Christopher Hill, Sept. 23, 1663. Loving Friend, Christopher Hill, I RECEIVED yours, with the letter inclosed, wherein I perceive that your family is afflicted with the small-pox. If I should say I am sorry for it, it would not ease you e'er the more ; for these things are natural to all, and falls all alike to all. So that time puts an end to all diseases, and to life itself. So that death and life is always at strife one with the other, and so it will be as long as the world doth endure. But when time shall be swallowed up into eternity, then shall there be no more death to the seed of faith, nor no more life to the seed of reason ; for death shall swallow up the seed of reason's life and heaven into that eternal death. So on the contrary, the seed of faith's life shall swallow up that death and hell into eternal life. For great is the power of faith and the power of reason. The one goes into the power of death and drunkenness, and the other into the power of life and light eternal. It is well, and I am glad that you are so stedfast in your faith, notwithstanding the last proclamation. I wish you may hold out to the end, and not do as others have done, to put your hand to the plough, and look back ; that is, to worship God in spirit and truth, according to the faith of this commission of the Spirit, and then to turn back to the worship of the nation, either to gain or save a suit of apparel, which is but a mess of pottage. And as for you, mother Wyld, if that were her excuse, as you have written, for her 128 going to church to try their spirits, and rinding the priest to be a devil, and therefore she would not hear him any more ; it is but a poor excuse, not so good as Adam's fig-leaves were to cover his nakedness. Now I cannot tell whose spirits she went to try, whether the saint's spirits, or the devil's spirits ; but let it be which she will, she went the wrong way to try spirits : For if she went to try the devil's spirits, it was that which they did desire ; so that the devil tried her spirit to make her fall down and worship him, even as he did unto Christ ; so that Christ did not try the devil, but the devil tried him. And if Christ had yielded to the devil's temptation, as she hath done, what would have become of us all, his own faith and power, and the faith of the elect? There would have been havock and shipwreck made of it, and the devil would have been more than a conqueror, as he hath been in those three. And if she did it to try the spirits of the weak saints, that was as much as to tempt the spirit of truth. For when the apostle bad the believers in his time try the spirits, whether they were of God, or no, it was not that they should turn back again to the worship of the law, for to encourage the devils, that their worship is right, and to weaken the faith of the saints. This is not the right way of trying of spirits : they had better have set their own faith to have been tried by the devil's, like gold in the fire. I am sure it would have yielded them more peace here, and more glory hereafter, and as good a livelihood in this world as they will now have. And as for her knowing the priest to be a devil, she knew that many years before she came to own this commission. She need not to have gone to church to have known that ; for she knew all the priests of the 129 nation, and of all sorts, were false, and not sent of God. And as for her peace and satisfaction, I shall let that alone : Yet this I am sure of, if faith hath not its perfect work in the soul, there cannot be that perfect peace. Neither did I slight her faithfulness to this commission, but did honour her upon that account more than all in that country ; which the fall of her hath done more mischief to the commission of the Spirit, than all the rest besides : for if she and they had not been declared blessed by John Reeve, I should not have mattered it so much ; for I always had a great respect to those which John Reeve did bless, in case I did approve of them. And it was well that Claxton was not declared blessed, either by John Reeve, or myself; if he had, I should not have excom- municated him for ever, as he now is. But I see what a confusion there will be with the believers of this commission when I am dead : For almost all those that disadhere unto John Reeve, are some dead, and many of the rest fallen away from that stedfastness of faith ; but blessed and happy are they who hold out to the end. She might have said to bear it with patience, had she given no cause : For I do never use to write so sharply without a cause ; for I was always naturally inclined to moderation, patience, and long- suffering with such weaknesses in the saints, which I know John Reeve would never have done nor borne. But in points of worship, God himself, and all pro- phets and apostles, were angry at ; for that is as the apple of God's eye : and all the controversy in the whole world, persecution, killing and slaying, all about worship, from Cain and Abel, in the beginning of the world, even to this day, and to the end of the world, and so forth. R Mr. Burton would have Goodman Miles to come up and take some order about his cyder ; for he hath let his house to another, and that man doth want the room; so that he will not let it stand there. He takes possession of it next Tuesday, therefore let him come as suddenly as possibly he can. So resteth your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggfeton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, of Chesterfield, bearing date November 14, 1663. *' Dear and loving Friend in the true faith, Dorothy Carter, I DID understand by your last letter, bearing date October 1, 1665, that the next week but one after that, I should hear from William Newcome ; but I have not heard from him not yet ; but I believe some occasion or other is the cause that doth hinder it. Also I perceive by your letter that you would wil- lingly have those letters of mine to the Quakers put in print, which in my last letter to you I was willing to have let them alone for a time ; for I had not read over his printed pamphlet when I sent you that letter ; but since I have read it over, and have shewed it to some other friends in the faith, and they are very desirous that I would write an answer to that printed pamphlet of Richard Farnsworth's, and put it in print with the other letters of the Quakers, with my answers unto them. It would be the greatest discovery of the deceit of the Quaker's doctrine of any thing that hath been yet written ; so I know it well. I had thoughts when the Interpretation of the Eleventh Chapter of the Revelations was printed, not to have printed no more ; but seeing truth cannot be so public and made known to the world without printing, because every one cannot read writing ; besides, it is too tedious to write much ; so, for the desires of others, and that truth may be made more known in the world, and that the Quakers may not tyrannize in their way, as if they had printed such a thing as could not be answered ; in consideration of these things I have written an answer to this printed pamphlet, and I have spoken with the printer about it, and we are almost agreed concerning it. I do intend to have that letter of mine to Edward Bourne printed ; for that was the first which did anger them. Also I will have Samuel Hooton and William Smith, their first letter to me, and my answer to them, and Richard Farnsworth's first letter to me, and my answer to it, and my answer to this printed pamphlet ; all these I do intend to put in print : therefore, what you shall be willing and free, and our friend Mr. Sudbury, and if there be any other there that is able, what they are free, they may contribute towards the printing of them, and I will send you some of them down as soon as they are printed, which I suppose will be about a fortnight or three weeks hence ; for the printer doth say, if he doth not do them in that time he will not do them at all. So in haste I rest at this time, only my dear love to R2 132 yourself, and to your daughter, and Betty Smith, and all the rest of our friends in the faith. lo tl^D^P ''II Iff Your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, November 14, 1663. <);"< ';''-"-, ~ > My wife desires to be remembered to you all, though unknown. Let me hear from you as soon as you can. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, bearing date the of November, 1663, as follow eth. Dear and loving friend in the true faith of Jesus, Dorothy Carter, I RECEIVED your letter and the twenty shil- lings of William Holland's man. I am very glad to hear that you are all well ; and also do understand by your letter what the mayor of Chesterfield hath done, and that I must make my personal appearance at Derby assizes, which I do intend to do, that the bail may not suffer. I know nothing to the contrary as yet, for I have asked counsel about it, and they tell me because I did put in bail in the open court, I cannot remove it ; so that I must be forced to see you again; but do not you be troubled about it; for if I had ten thousand damned devils before me, I should 133 not be afraid ; neither can they do" any great matters against me, not according'as the laws of England stand at this time ; so that the envy of the devils cannot go beyond their own law, only it will be some charge and trouble to come so far ; but as to what they can do by their law, I do not much value what they can do , for I shall justify most part of their charge which they have against me; and the more I suffer for it, the more hotter will the fire of hell burn in those that are my enemies. And as for Mr. Fender and others being bound over to come in against me by the mayor, I say it is more than the mayor can do, except the mayor do take the business upon himself to prosecute and per- secute me, which doth not concern him ; for he did what was his place to do, and that was to commit me to prison, that was as much as concerned him in his place; neither was he bound, nor no other man, to witness my words against me, not upon any penalty, if I had been tried then, much less now ; but if the mayor and others their malice be so great towards me, they thinking to make great matters of my words, which they urged out of me, which I shall justify in the open court to their eternal shame, let their malice be what it can be to me, I shall be made able to bear it. And if they can bear their eternal torment as well, it will be well for them ; but if there be any way that I can prevent my coming there, and free my bail, I will ; if not, I will come ; but you shall know further before that time. I had thoughts to have written a few lines to Mr. Fender, to have shewed him that it was more than the mayor could do, to bind him or any other to witness against me, there being no penalty or punishment can be inflicted upon them in case they do not ; but if the mayor and priest 134 have bound themselves through their malice to pro- secute the business, all that they can do, is to su- pcena you in for a witness ; and if you do not go, what penalty can be inflicted upon you for it ? None at all ; but some through ignorance and fear, and others through malice and envy, both mixed together, will do what mischief they can to me ; but I shall be able to bear it all ; so that I shall not persuade Mr. Fender, nor no other, against what their ignorance and fear will lead them unto ; but I being in haste at this time, shall say no more in that business. Dear Friend, I have here sent you Charles Cleve's letter unto Richard Farnsworth ; I would desire you to convey it to him some way or other. I would have you read it over before. I do think it will be too tedious to take a copy of it ; yet I have done it here, because of others seeing of it to lend it about. I think the book of the Quaker's Letters and mine will be out the next week, and the next week after I shall send you some of them ; for I must go into Kent a week before Christmas, because the parish doth intend to choose me constable this year, so I shall prevent them if I can. I go to my wife's mother, but after the twelve days are over I do intend to come again. Our friend Mr. Hatter is very well, and doth give us good hopes of a good success of his business ; but when he doth intend to come to London he maketh no mention in his letter. He waits as he saith for his wife to be delivered of child-birth, and if she do well it will be much better for him. Our friend Mr. Hudson doth intend to come to London about Candlemas day, and he says he will 135 come by Chesterfield, to see you, and through Not- tingham, to see Ellen Sudbury. And as for that priest, whose heart is set on the fire of hell, that fain would have me hanged or burned, the same measure shall be meted unto him which he would have done unto me, and that I shall let him know ; but at present I have no time to write the sen- tence unto him, nor to those other two you mention in your letter ; but if I can when I send the books, I will. So I shall say no more, but rest Your loving friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, November 27, 1663. My love remembered to your daughter and Betty Smith, and all the rest of our friends in the faith. My wife desires to be remembered unto you all. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, London, December 13, 1663. Loving Friend, Mr. Sudbury. ';;.. ".., I RECEIVED your letter, with your wife's in- closed, and I am glad to hear you are all well, and of your faith in this commission of the Spirit. I wish you may grow more and more in it, until you be as strong in your faith, as Sampson was in his body, 136 even to destroy a thousand Philistines, with the jaw bone of an ass: so the power of faith in the true God will destroy a thousand of the seed of the serpent, with the word of their mouth, and so it doth every where, where men and women are thoroughly grounded in it ; it hath great effect upon the seed of the serpent, all well as my faith hath. This I know by experience, by several believers of this commission of the Spirit. I also received five shillings of the carrier. Also I find in your letter, that William Watson would willingly have me come to Derby, to be tried ; and I/perceive, rather than I should not come, he would bear my charges. I do see by this how free the devil is to me, because he doth think there is some evil intended against me, therefore he would wil- lingly be at the charge, that it might be put in exe- cution; for this I know, that if there was any good intended towards me there, then he would be as for- ward to give money for me to stay away : but, how- ver, if I could not bear my own charges, nor if I had no friends in this world t do it, yet I would take no mercy of him, nor any other that is under the sen- tence of this commission ; I never did it to my know- ledge, never since I came forth upon this account, when as I had fewer friends than I have now ; for I have refused both work and money, many times, of those that have been damned by me, which they would have thought themselves the more happy if I would have accepted of it, but I would not : but I see what the serpent's seed doth aim at, and it is very like that he may have his desire in that thing, and yet keep his money too ; for I know nothing to the contrary yet, but #d' intend to come and see you before I go to, Derby assizes. I know they can do nothing to me 137 when I do come there, not according as the laws of England stand at this time; except ignorance of the law, and envy together, doth that which is contrary to the law ; but if it do, I shall bear it : but I shall inform you further of this before that time. You say in your letter that there is one there that hath a mind to all my books, and if you mean all our books bound together, then J cannot help him to them, for there is none of the commission books left, not one, if I would give five shillings for that alone, that being the ground and beginning of all ; but as for the Interpretation, I have sent you one, the price is two shillings. Also I have sent ten of those newly printed, and the price is twelve-pence a piece, they being very chargeable the printing, and much ado to get them at any rate ; neither would I have you to lend them to Quakers or others, but if they will buy them, let them have them, and if they do not like them, when they have read them, let them burn them, or do what they will with them ; for I have found by experience, a great deal of inconvenience in lending books, for when people see them for nothing, they like them the worse, but when they have paid for it, they will take more notice what they read ; neither will those books of the Quakers be long before they be all gone, for most people do desire to see what these things mean, they having a good opinion of the Quakers, and the price being small, there is few will grudge to give a shilling for it ; it contains ten sheets of paper, but if that man aforesaid hath a desire of all our works, I do think that William Newcomb, of Derby, bookseller, can help you to one, for he had three of me, and I hear he hath not sold them yet. If you send to Dorothy Carter you may know further of it, for he is there every Saturday. j 138 i In your wife's letter I understand that Mr. Tomkin- son doth desire an answer to his letter. But there being such a many particulars, to answer which, if they were answered fully, it would make a great volume ; and if it should be answered ever so short, it would be very large, neither have I any time to do it, neither do I know when I shall : and for me to take such a deal of pains to please the unsatisfied fancy of one particular man, it would be but a vain thing ; for there is enough written, if understood and believed, to satisfy the mind of any man or woman in the world ; for if those things were answered upon his desire, in a month's time there would be as many more places of Scripture, as needful to answer, as those he hath propounded ; so that there is no end of answering questions, neither will the reason of man ever be satisfied ; for if there be not a growth in faith, upon these two foundations, viz. the true God and the right devil, there can be no true peace. But it is much upon my mind of late, for the good of the seed of faith in general, that if I do but live a few years longer, and have my liberty to interpret the chief principal heads of the whole Book of the Revelations of St. John, for the eleventh chapter being opened already, it will the more easily open all that rich ca- binet, where the seed of faith may see the glorious treasure of heaven ; but my haste is great at present, therefore I shall say no more in this thing, but if you please you may send me William Smith's letter, and your answer, when you send to me again. And as for Mr. Hatter he is very well, and his bu- siness is like to do pretty well ; I have sent to him this day some of those books which I know will be welcome to him, because he doth not know that the}f 139 were printed. Our friend Mr. Hudson, I think, will be with you about Candlemas. So in haste I rest, having much business to do, and being alone, for my wife is at her mother's, and my two daughters are from me ; the one is married, the other is in Cambridgeshire, and the latter end of this week I do go into Kent ; I do intend to be at home again at the twelve holiday send. So with my love to yourself, and to your loving wife, with my love to your maid, though I never had any discourse with her, neither do I well know her if I should see her again; yet this I say, I do look upon that maid to be one of the seed of faith, and that it will grow in her. Your Friend in the true Faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London , December 13, 1663. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to one Rice Jones, at his House in Not- tingham, without any Date or Place it came from, as follows ; Rice Jones, ABOUT a twelve-month since it was I saw you 1 , and then I had some little discourse with you : in which discourse I did understand what principle of religion you are of, which principle of God is founded S 2 140 tipon Jacob Bemond's writings, which is to believe that God is an infinite Spirit without a body ; also Jacob Bemond's angels which he speaketh so much of have no bodies, neither doth he describe the form and nature of them, neither could he tell what the right devil is, nor the true heaven, nor the right hell, nor the mortality of the soul, no, not any of these things did he truly know ; neither are his writings any more divine or heavenly than the Heathen phi- losophers; for they are no other but philosophy, which proceedeth from the wisdom or seed of reason, and not from the seed and nature of faith, which the Scriptures were spoken and written by ; neither can any man know these six heads before mentioned, without an infallible Spirit so to do ; neither can any man interpret Scripture truly, and be ignorant of those six principles aforesaid ; that is, to know what the form and nature of the true God was before he became flesh, and what he is now. Secondly, What the form and nature of the right devil was before he became flesh, and what he is now. Thirdly, Where the place, or heaven of glory is. Fourthly, Where the place of hell and shame is. Fifthly, What the persons and natures of angels are. And, sixthly, To understand the mortality of the soul. Upon these six heads standeth all those heavenly secrets and mysteries spoken of in the Scriptures, they being hinted at by the prophets and apostles, but were not so clearly made known unto the soul of man, as they are now by this commission of the Spirit, there being never a true interpreter of the Scriptures in the world at this day, but us two, the witnesses of 141 the Spirit ; for God hath given the Scriptures into our hands, so that none ought to officiate the office of a minister or messenger of Christ, but such as are approved of by me. These things being so, I thought good to write these lines unto you, and by virtue and authority of my commission to forewarn you, and forbid you to exercise the office of a speaker among that society of the Bemonists or Quakers, nor any other sects ; for there is very little difference betwixt the Bemonists and the Quakers, only the Quakers are a little more precise in their outward lives, but for your doctrine and theirs it is all one ; for your God and theirs is all the same ; so that you being ignorant of the true God and the right devil, and so of all other heavenly and saving truths which do arise from these two heads ; neither have you any commission to exercise the office of a speaker in spiritual things ; for this I would have you to know, that it is not the wisdom of reason upon the letter of the Scriptures, neither revelation, which you call the spirit within you, nor, as the Quakers say, the light of Christ within them. I say, none of these things are sufficient to authorize you to be a preacher or speaker unto the people. Therefore, by virtue of the authority of my com- mission, I shall do by you as I have done by many public speakers of the nation (that because they had neither the knowledge of those things before ex- pressed, nor commission from God) to lay down their preaching, and upon the pain of their eternal damnation ; so likewise I do say unto you, being a private speaker amongst the Bemonists and Quakers, that if you shall exercise yourself in the way of a public speaker in the society of those people called Bemonists and Quakers, (for you having not the 142 knowledge of the true God nor the right devil, nor a commission from God, you do but deceive yourselves and others ) Therefore, if you shall not lay clown that practice which you formerly used, but deny this commission of the Spirit, but practice the same still, after the re- ceipt of this letter, then I do pronounce you, Rice Jones, cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the last Two Witnesses and Prophets, unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jesus in Glory. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, of Chesterfield, dated April 19, 166'4. Dear Friend in the eternal truth Elizabeth Carter, I RECEIVED your letter bearing date April 12, 1664, in which I understand your mother is gone into Yorkshire, and that she hath not been well, which I am sorry to hear ; but yet I hope she will do well again, and that we shall see yourself e're it be long, which my wife and others of the faith will be glad to see you ; and as for my getting well out of Cam* bridgeshire, as for that I found no opposition at all there at that time, for I did stay but two or three 143 days in a place, and some places but one night, so that there could be no great notice taken of me, there being a great many of the faith of this commission of the Spirit, yet many of them are excommunicated ; but what will become of it they know not as yet ; but none of our friends are in prison, as there are for meetings, so that they not meeting is a great preser- vation to the believers and me also. And as for your mother's dream causing a fear to arise in her of my being in prison, dreams do not always prove true ; yet sometimes they do ; for when I was put in prison there in Chesterfield, your mother had such a like dream a little before it, which did prove accordingly; but now there is no such thing, not as yet ; for I am very well, and do not know of any danger in that kind, not at present, though I have many enemies here at London and elsewhere, and some more fiery and bloody-minded here in London, that would de- stroy me if they could any ways, were it not that they fear to be hanged more than to be damned to eter- nity ; because they look upon damnation at a distance, but hanging is near at hand ; but they will find the other to be suddenly enough ; and I am much threat- ened by one bloody-minded man, that if I should pass the sentence upon his wife, that he will do great matters unto me ; and he will shew the book to the king, and he will do I know not what, nor himself neither. So I hearing what wicked words his wife did speak against this commission of the Spirit, it happened before her mother had told me what the words all were, that the maid came where I was, and so I did send the sentence by the maid to her mistress by word of mouth ; the mistress sends her man imme- diately in great wrath, desiring me to send his rflis- 144 tress the sentence under hand and seal, only that she might shew it to her husband, he being a solicitor in the law, thinking that his malice might be the more vented against me ; but for that I matter not, so that I damned his man also, and bid him tell his master that he was a damned devil also, and bid him do his worst ; yet nevertheless I would give his master and mistress both their damnation in writing, and let them see what they can do in it ; but I would not do it at present. But what the event will be when I have sent them the sentence in writing, time will make ap^ pear. Therefore I shall say no more at present, but my love and my wife's remembered unto your mo- ther, and Betty Smith, and all the rest of our friends in the faith. I shall rest and remain your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. ^ Aipril 19, 1664. I have written to you as soon as I can ; for I came to London but on Saturday night ; therefore I do expect to hear from you as soon as you can, and how your mother doth. 145 A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Mug* gletoriy to one Robert Beake, of Coventry, in Answer to one that he wrote to Captain Wildy, July 11, 1664. Mr. Robert Beake, I SAW a letter of yours, bearing date July 8th, 1664, which you sent to Captain Wildy ; and in your letter to him, I understand the Captain, out of love and affection, did lend you some books and paper writings to peruse, he hoping that your understand- ing would have been enlightened, to have seen the truth of those things, which are written in those books and papers ; or at least, that you would have been so moderate as not to speak evil of things } r ou do not know : which I perceive he gave you a hint of it, but it hath proved altogether to the contrary. For God hath hid the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven from the wise and prudent men of the world ; for though they have eyes, yet they see not ; and ears, yet they hear not ; and hearts, but understand not : and you being one of these wise and prudent men the Scripture speaketh of, fche mysteries of eter- nal life are hid from your eyes, because you are of the seed of the serpent ; for this I would have you to know (though it be now too late) for your good, that whoever doth speak evil of these books and papers which the Captain did lend you, are the seed of the serpent, and hath sinned against the Holy Ghost ; a sin that will never be forgiven in this world, nor iu the world to come ; and that you shall find to your eternal pain and shame. Think of yourself what 14C you will, for you have showed yourself the seed of the serpent, a son of the devil, in speaking evil of the Revelation of the Spirit ; which hath been declared by us the Witnesses of the Spirit ; which hath been in those books and papers, which such devils as you are, are not worthy to look into ; but you, from your Pharisaical righteousness, and wisdom of reason, from the letter of the Scriptures, have proudly took upon you to judge prophets that have a commission from God, and to condemn their righteousness by the letter of the Scripture ; and because you shall see that you deserve to be damned, I shall relate most of your wicked speeches against those books and papers in your letter. First. You say, you found expressions therein so uncouth, that made your soul to shrink again. Answer. As to that I say, truth will make the spirit of reason to shrink, which is the devil ; for had you had true light in your understanding, in- stead of shrinking, you would have rejoiced and have been glad, because the doctrine of salvation was come to your house. For every true prophet hath salvation attending on him, and blessed are they that receive him upon that account, and cursed will they be that despise him on that account. Secondly. You say, that the authentiques thereof, you thought was to be tried by some known standard rule and balance, and the word of truth being most sovereign, you applied the matter and phrase of the papers. As to this, I suppose your meaning is, that the Scripture is the word of truth, and the standard rule, by which would try the phrase of those papers ; so that you would lay those papers in one scale, and the Scriptures in the other, and you found, as I perceive, the papers too light in the 147 balance with the Scripture. This, I suppose, is your meaning. Answer. 1 do acknowledge that the Scriptures are the word of God, and a standing rule ; and that which will balance truth and error. But then I must tell you, that somebody must put truth and error into the balance, who hath the same spirit of inspiration, as those had that wrote the Scriptures, (that is,) their doctrine must be as authentic astheir's was, else they cannot give true judgment between truth and error, which none can do but those that have a commission from the eternal God, as those had that spake the Scriptures. Therefore, for you to weigh the phrase in those papers, in the balance of the Scriptures, or to judge of any thing contained in them, by the letter of the Scriptures, you do but procure your own damnation by it. For God never chose you, that you should know truth from error, nor to give any interpretation, for God hath chosen John Reeve and myself, and hath given the Scrip- tures into our hands, and hath given us more know- ledge to interpret them, than all the men in the world at this day. And yet you that have no commission nor reve- lation, will undertake by your reason and education, to judge whether things be agreeable to the Scrip- ture or no ; when as you do not know any one principle of religion, no more than the ignorantest man that is doth know the points of law or state affairs. Thirdly. You say you found so much inequality in them, that if you did admit the one, you must of necessity reject the other. You, through ignorance of the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures, do judge so ; but if you had understood the doctrine contained T2 148 in those books, you would have found the Scriptures and them to agree, so that you would have admitted of them both. But I see it is hid from your eyes. Fourthly .Y o\i say you know no medium in the case ; either the drift or design of those papers is envious, and grossly abusive of the Spirit and way of righteous- ness, or the word of life and salvation is spurious and false. Answer. Here you have shewed yourself a subtil serpent. What drift or design could we have in writ- ing those papers, when as there was nothing but per- secution and sufferings did and doth fall upon it, and wasting our estates, and losing all our natural re- lations ; for men that go upon that account as pro- phets, and have such a dreadful message to declare unto the world as we have, shall find but few friends in the world to receive it, therefore our drift and design as to the world, or to obtain riches, would have been to little purpose. And as for our errors, as you call them, grossly abusive of the Spirit, and of the way of life and salvation, here you have belied the Holy Spirit that sent us forth ; for the wisdom that God hath given us, hath preached the righteousness of faith, in that we have declared the true God and right deyil, with many other heavenly mysteries and secrets which are written in those books, which the Scripture did hint at but darkly, but how by us the witnesses of the Spirit made clear to the seed of faith ; so that instead of grossly abusing the Spirit of life and salvation, God hath chosen us to declare the true righteouness of faith and light, and life of salvation, and also the light of the Scriptures, which no man doth truly know but those that have received it from the commission of the Spirit, which God hath given us to declare ; but such reprobates as you 149 did say as much by the Lord himself when he was upon earth, as you do by me ; but as they had their reward for their blasphemy against him, so shall you. Fifthly. You call those papers and books false, and no way the foundation of your faith and manners, and do say that God hath given you a more sure word of prophecy, and say that you should highly tempt him to listen to any insinament, or pretended disco- very of his will, besides what therein are contained. Answer. As to this, I would have you to know that those papers and books are the foundation of true faith, but as for manners, that I shall leave to the wisdom of reason, for reason the devil liveth upon manners, for the seed of the serpent hath no faith but the faith of devils, as you have ; yet such subtil ser- pents as you are will presume to say that God hath given you a more sure word of prophecy, when as that saying was never spoken to you, being the seed of the serpent, but it was given to the apostles, and to the believers of their doctrine, and it is given unto us the witnesses of the Spirit, and to the seed of faith, who are given to believe the doctrine and declaration of the true God, and so they understand the Scrip- tures, and know them, because they have believed our report. Also, you say you should highly tempt God if you should listen to any insinuations or pre- tended discoveries of his will besides what is therein contained. As to that I say, you have highly tempted God, in that you did not listen unto us the prophets and wit- nesses, and messengers of God, who only can inter- pret the Scriptures, and discover the will of God which is contained in the Scriptures, though you call us . insinuators, and our discoveries but pretended, but all prophets were served so by the seed of the 150 serpent; therefore it is no new thing for us, the witnesses of the Spirit, to be called so by that gene- ration of wise and prudent men, that think they know more than the prophets and apostles do ; nay, they think that they know more than God himself, and yet the most blindest in spiritual matters in the true knowledge of the Scriptures of any, but in the matters of the world so subtil and cunning that none can go beyond them, but as dark as pitch in any true knowledge concerning eternal life. Sixthly. You advise the captain to poise, therefore, in the balance of a sincere judgment, the expressions contained in those books, and if he find not a direct repugnancy therein to the unerring rule of righteous- ness. Answer. To this I say, God gave you no sincere judgment in the Scriptures, nor in those books, neither do you know the unerring rule of righteousness, so that you are very unfit to poise in the balance the Scrip- tures of truth, and those books ; for if you had known the Scriptures of truth, you would have known those books to be truth also, and no direct repugnancy against one another, but a sweet agreement; for the Scriptures of truth are a sealed book, and those books of ours are the breaking open of the seal, that the seed of faith may see the truth and treasure written within the Scriptures ; but the serpent-seed thinks himself so wise, as if he could tell or know God from the devil, truth from error, and truth to be error, and error to be truth. This was always the practice of the seed of the serpent ; it was the practice of the Jews to the prophets of old, and those serpents to Christ, and afterwards to his apostles, and the seed of the serpent, such as you are, doth practice the same thing now to us the witnesses of the Spirit j yet 151 I would have you to know that it doth not lie in the captain's power, nor yours neither, to poise in the balance the Scripture and those books, neither of you being chosen for such a great work ; for who shall judge of prophets revelation and doctrine ? None will presume to do it but the seed of the serpent. Experience hath shewed me the truth of this, for many hundreds of your seed have said as much to me as you have said, whereby they have been put in the balance of eternal damnation, and the seed of faith being but few, have been put in the balance of eternal life ; for this commission hath weighed you all in the balance, and you the seed of the serpent have been found too light in the balance ; for God hath chosen every true prophet to weigh in the balance, so that it doth not belong to you, nor no man upon the earth at this day, to be the judge of us the witnesses of the Spirit, but God only ; for we only know the unerrring rule of righteousness, and can poise in the balance of the Scripture the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent ; and as you have done by our books, so have I done by you, I have put you in the balance among the reprobate seed, and you are found too light, not- withstanding you think your wisdom and knowledge in the Scripture to be true light ; but it being the wisdom of reason the devil, and not the light and wisdom of faith, which is of God, it will be found the greatest folly and darkness of all, because it led you forth to despise and speak evil of as pure a truth as ever was spoken by prophet or apostle. Seventhly. You w&uld have it demonstrated to your understanding what we say to be of the Spirit, and in cases of this nature you must be dealt withal as a rational creature, and not as a brute. Answer. I would ask you this question, whether 152 Moses, and prophets, Christ and apostles, did direct their speech or writings to rational creatures, or to brutes ? Surely the prophets messages, and the apostles epistles were spoken to rational men and women, and not to brute beasts. And have you been dealt withal as a brute, and not as a rational man ? Are those books and papers which you have perused so uncouth, as if they were more fit to be read to brutes than to rational creatures ? Do not those books and papers speak as good sense as any other writings whatsoever ? And do not those books and papers interpret the Scriptures more than any writ- ings whatsoever ? If you were not stone-blind in spiritual matters, you would have seen it, so have you not been dealt withal as a rational man, as well as others have been ; nay, the more clearer the seed of the serpent have life and salvation propounded to them, or set before them, the more he despiseth it ; for I must tell, you were not worthy to look into those books, for they cost you nothing but your labour to read them, which if you have not liked them, you might have returned them back again ; but truth was always counted by the serpent not worth the reading, but the seed of faith thought nothing too dear for truth, but was willing, as Christ said, to forsake all for the truth's sake ; but the wise and subtil serpents will not part with a penny for truth, though they know books cannot be printed for nothing. But however it is well, for every one must act according to the seed, the seed they are of, either towards eternal life, or eternal damnation. Also I do wonder how you, that are of the seed of the serpent, would have us to de- monstrate to your understanding that which we say we had from the SpiriU 153 To this I say, it is as much demonstrated to you as to any others, and yet others believe it, and have the assurance of eternal life by it, and you, and such as you are, through your unbelief, eternal damnation by it ; for we the witnesses of the Spirit are made a sweet savour unto God both in them that are saved, in those that are damned ; and what demonstration would you have more than the declaration of the true God in his form and nature, with the interpretation of many mystical things in the Scriptures, which all the wise and learned men in the world cannot unfold ; but I know by experience, that the serpent's seed doth look more at some visible miracle, and yet they read in the Scriptures that the greatest prophet that was born of woman did no miracles; so are we dealt with by the serpents in this last age, though our doctrine and declaration be more spiritual and heavenly than those that went before us, we being the witnesses of the Spirit ; yet because we do no outward miracles, we are counted by the reprobate seed to be false prophets, deceivers and liars, so that we cannot de- monstrate to the devil understanding by any visible sign that we are sent by the Spirit of God, but time will make it manifest to your eternal pain and shame. Eighthly. You say, if you must receive that for truth, or this or that man that saith he hath a revela- tion, you must necessarily then let your faith languish after every man's revelation ; and here you say am I a poor soul bewildered. Answer. To this I say, there is no knowing of any revelation to be true, but by believing of it. Did any know Moses revelation to be true in that time, but those that believed him ? Did any of those Pha- risees and Sadducees, that came to John's baptism, believe that John was a messenger of Christ ? Did U 154 any of the Scribes and Pharisees and hypocrites be- lieve that Christ was the Son of God ? Yet they heard that John the Baptist had revelation to declare that Christ was the Son of God, notwithstanding he spake nothing else but revelation ; yet these had heard of him before, but saw no sign by either of them both, but others that believed their revelation, not expect- ing a sign, they did see signs also. So that believing the declaration of men that are living is the only way to establish the soul, for there is no true rest to the soul but in pinning their faith upon that man's sleeve that hath a commission from God, and his revelation must needs be true, and happy are those that venture their souls upon it ; but the seed of the serpent thinks himself so wise, that he will allow of no revelation in himself, neither will he hearken to him that hath a revelation, for fear his soul should be bewildered ; for the devil not knowing what revelation is, he will be so wise and cunning that he will neither be received with God nor with man ; and this is your condition, you will not hearken to this or that man's revelation, though it be never so true, lest your soul should be bewildered. But instead of your soul being bewildered, I am sure your soul is bewitched with ignorance and dark- ness in the Scriptures ; you think you see, but are stark blind, and have ears, but are deaf as an adder : but it was always so with the seed of the serpent, for they always thought themselves so wise, that they could tell whether prophets or apostles revelations were true or no, but they were always mistaken, for they ever despised and persecuted them for it, even as you do by me and my revelation. Ninthly. Here you say, Oh ! Sir, your soul grieves within you that those poor souls, meaning us that 165 wrote those books, should be involved in such strange delusions; certainly, you say, a greater judgment cannot be from the Lord here. Answer. Here you do by us as the devils did by Christ, they pitied and shaked their heads at him when he went to suffer, as if they did grieve that he should suffer, but they thought within themselves that he suffered for his fault; that is, they thought he was a blasphemer, a deceiver, a liar, and took too high things upon him, and so was under a great judgment of God. Do not you do the same things by us the witnesses of the Spirit ? You say your soul grieves within you that we poor people, as you call us, should be involved in such strong delusions. I marvel how you, being the seed of reason, came to know what a strong delusion is, when you never was in the truth, for you never did know truth in your life; for I must tell you, it is not the reading of the Scriptures will give you to know truth, except there be a true interpreter ordained of God, which I am sure you never heard none ; but true prophets and true interpreters of the Scriptures were always counted by the seed of the serpent to be strong delusions. Therefore it is no new thing for us to be called so by you, who are a subtil serpent ; and as for a greater judgment from the Lord, there cannot be here. To this I say so to ; and further I say, that if we, that wrote those books and papers, be strongly de- luded, or if we be deluders, then I say, let the judg- ment of God be upon us here and hereafter ; but if we be true messengers and chosen witnesses of God, as we know we are, then I say it had been good for you, and such as you are, that you had never been born ; and a greater judgment cannot be from the Lord than U 2 156 there is upon your understanding, for God hath given you up to slumbering eyes, that you might despise the light of heaven, so that you might stumble and fall into the pit of eternal damnation. Tenthly. You say, it were worth the enquiry by what method and wiles the devil doth thus infatuate poor creatures. Answer. Here you shew yourself a devil, in that you do not know what the devil is, nor the method and wiles by which he doth infatuate or deceive poor creatures; for this I must tell you, 'that the devil is always mistaken in himself, for he always looks upon the devil to be some ugly thing or spirit without him, when as indeed your own soul is the devil, and that you shall find one day ; and the imagination of your own heart hath infatuated your poor soul, which hath made your wits to go in this method, as to despise and blaspheme against the doctrine of the true God, by us the witnesses of the Spirit. Eleventhly. You say, let me suggest my thoughts to you herein : is it not likely, say you, that the first entrance into this snare, was the perpetration of some conscience-wasting sin which followed the sinner, that no rest could be obtained, till it cast off the word and other ordinances. Answer. Your suggested thoughts in this particu- lar, is no other but the suggestions of the devil, for your thought therein doth proceed from your lying imagination ; for we the witnesses of the Spirit never committed any sin, whereby the peace of our con- science could be any ways wasted ; for this I must tell you, that God never chose any to be prophets to declare his mind, but such as had escaped the pollu- tions of the flesh ; and if we had not been kept inno- cent, God would never have chosen us to be his mes- sengers ; and this is the greatest comfort we have in 157 this world, that we can justly say we never did this or that evil in the days of our ignorance, much less since we were chosen of God ; and this is the very cause, that I have and do tread upon the heads of the serpents, by virtue of my innocency, and the commission of God. I am made as a wall of brass against many hundred of devils, and have cast them down with the two-edged sword of the Spirit that is put into my mouth ; so that they have and shall fall into the bot- tomless pit of eternal damnation, into which place you must go ; and as for our attaining no rest until we had cast off the word and other ordinances. Answer. To this I say, no man doth own the word (if you mean the Scriptures) more than we do, for no man in the world doth truly know the word but us, and those books will testify the same ; neither do we cast off any ordinances, neither of God, nor of man ; for we know what ordinances God hath set up now in these last days, and we follow and practice them, and have rest and peace in it ; but you have none, be- cause you are a traditional follower of the ordinances of the apostles ; and instead of entering into this snare, as you call it, it will prove a snare to you, and it will be just like Peter's net, which catched many fishes, and the good he picked out, and the bad he cast away : so it is with the commission of the Spirit, it is as a net or a snare that is set or laid to catch the seed of faith, and so they are brought home unto God, and happy are they that are caught. So likewise the seed of the serpent, they are caught in this snare, and they are cast away, even like the bad fishes, that is, they are cast into the pit of utter darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth for evermore ; and this snare are you fallen into by your despising those books and papers. It would have been better for you 158 but not much, if you had never seen them at all, you would have been damned before, but you would not have known for what ; but now you will know for what you are damned to eternity for, and in this re- gard it had been better you had never seen the writings at all. Twelfthly. You say, let the first broachersof these wild notions, as you call them, deal ingenuously with God and the world, and he will confess, if I be not mistaken, that there is some wide gash in his con- science, which he labours to dress up with these super- celestial, if not diabolical notions. Answer. To this I answer, I do acknowledge that we, the witnesses of the Spirit, were the first broachers of these wild notions, as you call them ; and I do in- genuously confess, that there is no wider gash in my conscience than there was before, nor so much; for my conscience is as truly justified in declaring these wild notions, as you call them, as ever Moses, the prophets and apostles were in broaching their doctrine. You would have called their doctrine wild notions if you had lived in that time, as you do mine, for they did meet with the same serpents in their time as I do now ; neither do I dress up my conscience with those super-celestial, if not diabolical notions, as you call them ; it would be well for you if they were diabolical notions, but you will find them to be as true as truth itself, they being broached by the Spirit of truth,there- fore you are much mistaken indeed, for the devil is always mistaken in the things of eternity, and never certain in spiritual knowledge ; for, as I said before, he always calls God a devil, and the devil God ; truth he calls wild notions, and the imaginations of reason, from the letter of the Scriptures, you call the ordi- nances of God. And this I am sure, all the notions 159 that shall arise from the imaginations of reason, and study of the letter of the Scriptures, shall never dress up the gash in your conscience which you have made, by speaking evil of things you know not ; for you have such a gash cut in your soul by the two-edged sword of the Spirit that is put into my mouth, that there will be no balm in Gilead to be had to cure you, so that it will not be whole to eternity ; and I shall deal ingenuously with you, that are of the world, that I am justified of God, and in my own conscience too. Thirteenth. You say it is the captain's duty and yours to stand in the old way, and to repair to the law, and to the testimonies ; therein, say you, we have eternal life, because they testify Christ Jesus. Answer. As for the true old way, I think the cap- tain nor you did know ; for how could you possibly know the true old way without a true preacher ? And as for your repairing to the law, and to the testimony, that you cannot do, because you know not what they are, only you have got those words out of the Scrip- tures, but know nothing truly what is meant by the law and testimony ; for whosoever did repair to the law and testimony, they were to be tried by some commissionated man that was appointed thereunto ; so that God hath given the law and testimony into our hands, who are the witnesses of the Spirit, and you are to be tried by us, both the captain and you also. And I do find by the law and the testimonies, that you deserve to be damned to eternity ; for you must not think, that because you read the Scriptures, and find such words there ; I say, you must not think that you can try prophets by the law and testimonies, when as you were never chosen of God for such a work ; neither do you know what the law and testi- mony is ; though they do testify of Jesus, yet will 160 not you find eternal life by them, because you have judged and despised those whom God hath chosen, anointed, and sealed, to be the interpreters of the law and testimony ; therefore, your repairing to the law and to the testimony now, will signify but little benefit to you ; so that now you are in the old way of your father Cain. Fourteenth. You say, and his promise, he that doth his will, shall know of his doctrine, whether it be of God or man. Answer. That is as true a saying of yours, that he that doth God's will, shall know his doctrine; but you never did know his will, therefore you know not his doctrine, whether it be of God or man ; neither are those promises in Scripture made to the seed of the serpent, such as you are ; but the promises in the Scriptures were made to the seed of faith, who are made to believe God's messengers ; and so they come to know God and his doctrine ; for the doctrine of man cannot declare what the true God is in his form and nature, and those books do, which you so much despise ; but there can be expected no better from that seed you are of. Fifteenth. Also you say, what shall we think of those precious souls, who have spent themselves for us in the Lord ; you name Hooker, Cotton, Helder- sham, Marshall, Burroughs, and Simpson. These you say taught us, and brought us another doctrine than is contained in your papers'. Answer. You may think what you will of them, I know them to be false ministers, and their doctrine to be false also, because they had no commission from God to be ministers of the gospel ; for he that preaches without a commission from God, cannot preach true doctrine; and as for some of those precious souls, as 161 you call them, I know them to be damned devils ; that Cotton, I suppose, was of New England, and that Holland Simpson, I suppose you mean, was of those precious souls that spent themselves for you ; it was but the devil that spent himself for the devil, for that Cotton I know to be damned to eternity ; there is none of the others will escape you speak of, before they were sent, though we the witnesses of the Spirit did not pass the sentence of eternal damnation upon them all ; yet they taking upon them to preach the gospel without a commission from God, though much good may be done by it ; yet it will be said unto them by the Lord Jesus, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know ye not; for Christ will know none but those he hath sent ; and as for that Cotton, I am as certain that man will be damned to eternity as Cain and Judas ; if they escape, then he shall ; and as for the other of your gracious souls, as you call them, must to damnation also, for preaching without a commis- sion from God, because we, the witnesses of the Spirit, did not pass the sentence of damnation upon them, as we did upon Cotton ; so they have not the seal of it as he had, yet they were all false, and taught a false doctrine : for this I must tell you, that no man can teach or preach true doctrine, but he that is sent of God; and those gracious souls, as you call them, did bring, as you say, another doctrine than what is con- tained in those books and papers ; for how can a man preach true doctrine, who knows not the true God, nor the right devil ; for these men you speak of, their doctrine which they brought in, was their own lying imagination, which they did imagine out of the letter of the Scriptures, merely from the strength of reason, even as a tradesman doth his trade ; and as tradesmen deceive others that are not skilful in that art, so did X 162 these men become deceivers by their doctrine, and you and the captain, with many hundreds more, were deceived by them, for all the hearers of them, so long as they followed them, were, and are as blind as beetles in any spiritual and heavenly matters ; neither hath God forbid them to be deceivers, nor you from being deceived by them ; for the blind hath led the blind, and you will both fall into the ditch of eternal destruction ; and as we and our doctrine shall enter into our master's joy, because we did not go before we were sent, but have been faithful to declare the truth, as it is in Jesus, the only wise God, blessed for ever. I have spoken of most of the chief things contained in your letter, concerning your wicked speeches against as pure truth as ever was spoken by prophet or apostle, for you would have said as much by them, if you had been living in their times, as you do by us the prophets of the Spirit ; but I perceive you think to deal with prophets as you do with priests of the nation ; you can speak evil, and find fault with them and their doctrine when they please not your humour ; and when they speak any thing from the letter of the Scriptures that pleaseth you, you are good friends again ; so that the shepherd and his doctrine must be judged by his sheep. This hath been the custom of formal Christians ever since the ten persecutions ; but you must not think to do so by prophets that have a commission from God ; for he is no true minister of the gospel that hath no power to pronounce those blessed that receive his doctrine, and those cursed to eternity that despise it; therefore this doctrine and commission of ours will seem strange to the seed of the serpent, for little did you think, when you met with those books and papers, that you 163 met with men that have authority from God ; neither do we speak or write as the Scribes, viz. as the priests and speakers of the nation ; therefore, because you shall know that there is a true prophet in England, to give judgment upon despising spirits, in that you have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit that sent us; for whosoever receiveth him that is sent, receiveth him that sent him, even God ; so, on the contrary, he that despiteth a prophet, despisethhim that sent him, even the Spirit of the Lord Jesus ; which thing you have done, and that in a high nature, in calling the doctrine, contained in those books and papers, erro- neous, strong delusions, and the wiles of the devil, wild notions, diabolical notions, with many more wicked speeches, as I have before mentioned. Therefore in obedience unto my commission, for these your wicked and hard speeches against the doc- trine of truth declared by us, the witnesses of the Spirit, I do pronounce you cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. Deliver yourself from it if you can. Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. July 11, 1664. X2 164 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Slade- house, in Staffordshire, bearing Date from London, December 9 9 1664. Loving Friend Thomas Tompkinson, I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date Octo- ber 2d, 1664, with the token. Also I have perused your letter, but had not time to give you an answer before now to it ; neither have I time as yet, but be- cause I am to go into Cambridgeshire before Christ- mas, I shall give you some lines for your satisfaction before I go, which are as follow : I have taken notice of some passages in your letter, which I shall give some answer unto. The first thing is, whether Christ did know him- self to be the only God when he was in a state of mor- tality, or no ? You say you cannot tell ; yet the seventh chapter of our commission-book doth say he did : but Mr. Claxton, in his Wonder of Wonders, saith he did not know himself to be the only God. As to this I gay, it is not much material, whether Christ himself did know himself to be God the Father, or not, when he was in a state of morality ; but the comfort and benefit that will redown to us ; it is for us to believe and know, that Jesus Christ was in the state of mortality, and is the only God and everlast- ing Father. So that the happiness that will be unto us, it is to know and believe that he is the only God, and everlasting Father; but whether he knew himself 165 to be so at that time, it is not much material. Yet it is my faith, that he did not know ; but my happi- ness is, that I know him to be so : and as for the apostles knowing him to be the only God, it is not much matter neither ; but that happiness that is in the faith in this commission of the Spirit, is to know more of the true God than they did. You likewise say, for the most part you pitch upon this commission of the Spirit, and do begin to close in faith with those six principles which are treated on by me ; and further you say, you have had such strugglings and strivings in your mind about your former worship, and until you could, in some mea- sure resolve to close with me, there was nothing but trouble and vexation in your soul. Furthermore you say you have gone to the church by fits ; but now you are resolved to leave it off, though you look for nothing else but great sufferings. As to this I say, it is well that you do for the most part pitch your faith upon these six principles; and it would be better for you if you did venture your whole soul upon them. And as for the strugglings in your mind about wor- ship, there could be no other thing expected ; for no man can serve two masters. For if the worship of God in Spirit and truth be the true worship, that will yield peace to the mind, as is held forth by this commission of the Spirit, then, of necessity, the wor- ship of the nation must needs be false, and so produce nothing but trouble. For if the worship of the nation would give peace to the mind, and the assurance of eternal life, then should I have found it when my zeal was in it, and many more that can experience it as well as myself, who. have believed in this commis- sion of the Spirit. 106 Further you say, that, come what will come, you will venture your salvation upon this commission of the Spirit; and that you do feel those strugglings which you formerly had, to cease. Also you say, be this truth, or no, that we have declared, you cannot help it; but must now, from that seed within you, venture upon it, in pitching your faith upon this commission of the Spirit. And further you say, if it prove a rock, then you shall be happy, and your soul will stand for ever; and if I be a true prophet, then shall you be safe, and all those that have believed it. To this I sa}% it is well for you that there is such a resolution wrought in you, as to venture your soul upon this commission of the Spirit, come what will come. For this I say to you, that nothing venture, nothing have : for if there be no salvation in this, there was never none in any ; so that eternal life is but a thing ventured. For if God doth speak to a man, we that do not hear him speak, yet do believe that man speaketh truth, who saith God spake to him, we must venture our salvation on his words, else no peace will arise out of the heart. This hath been God's practice of old to prophets and apostles ; and happy have they been that did believe them, and ventured their salvation upon their bare words. And so it is now by John Reeve and myself, we being the last two chosen witnesses of God ; and whoever doth venture their salvation upon this com- mission of the Spirit, shall not miss of eternal life, no more than those did that depended upon Jesus Christ himself; so that true faith in the thing will make your strugglings cease, as with relation to eternal salvation; neither can you, nor any other, help their believing in it, but happy are those that are so caught, and that 16T venture their souls upon it, it will prove a rock in- deed, and safe will those be who truly build upon the commission of the Spirit, in that they believe us to be true prophets. We are as true as truth can make us ; and it is by faith that I myself do stand, and it is by faith that you, and all the rest of the believers do stand. For there is, nor can be, no surer standing, as to things of eternity, but by faith : so that you that believe shall fare as well as I myself; and if any would be more sure than I myself, they must seek it where they can find it, which I am sure is no where to be found, but in believing in them that God hath sent: You say the light of life, which floweth from the in- terpretation of Scripture, you of late have tasted of, in that you have believed us to be true prophets ; and that is a true commission which hath proved to a refreshing of heart unto you, and so becomes water of life unto your soul, and makes you to see tlje truth of our doctrine. Also you say, tho* your faith be but weak, and your knowledge but small, yet doth it put forth its hand towards this commission of the Spirit, and is willing to make itself known unto me, that so it may receive refreshments from me, as it hath already received some golden oil, which doth so chear and glad your heart, that you would not part with it for all the world ; for you do perceive now that you do receive it in the love of it. So this- 1 say, that the true interpretation of Scriptures is light and life unto the soul of man. For the Scriptures, when they were spoken by men who were inspired by the Holy Ghost, their words were spirit and life ; and the true interpretation of them is as water of life unto those that understand them. For the same Spirit of inspiration that spake them, did put life into them, so that no man can truly in- 168 terpret them but such as have the same spirit of re- velation as those that spake them. So that true interpretation of Scripture will be as water of life, as the speaking of them was spirit and life : for in the Scriptures is the assurance of eternal life to be found, and no where else ; only this, they must have a true interpreter, which none can but those whom God hath chosen for that purpose. So that it will be happy for all those that truly understand the inter- pretation of Scriptures, which I perceive you do ; which have yielded you some refreshings of heart unto you, and your weak faith may grow to be strong, and your small knowledge may come to be great ; and then will your refreshings of heart overflow, and con- tinually spring as a river of living waters. For the seed of faith is a well that is never dry when it is built upon a rock ; for when a commission doth smite the rock, by giving the true interpretation of Scripture, there will come water of life out of it ; especially when it is received in the love of it. As you say you do ; it will be as golden oil to glad your heart, and water of life to quench the thirst of sin, which is of more value than can be expressed. For there is no balm but in Gilead, even a personal God-Man, Christ Jesus, which none could, or can, declare, but us the witnesses of the Spirit. And happy will it be for all those that venture their souls upon the declarations and doctrine of us, the witnesses of the Spirit. You further say, before you did receive it in the head, but now say you it goes down into the heart ; and so your soul begins to cleave to the doctrine as to eternal life, and to cleave to me as the only prophet to shew the way to this life eternal. And in the latter part of your letter you say you should be glad if you might receive one letter from 169 me, but especially to hear that your condition is a condition of safety, which would be more jpy to me than all the world's riches ; because you believe me to be a true prophet, and so are able to judge and discern between faith and reason. As to this I shall say but little ; only this, I am glad even for your own sake, that truth did not only remain in your head, but is gone down into the heart; which I make no question but it will take deep root there, which will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, even the fruits of faith, which is love to God, peace of mind, obedience to his worship in spirit and truth, and unto the assurance of eternal life, which is no where to be found now, but in the doctrine of the true God and the right devil, which is held forth and declared by us, the chosen witnesses of the Spirit : unto which you have given sufficient testimony of your faith in it, and that you do cleave to the doc- trine and to me, as the only true prophet to shew you the way to eternal life. And as for your condition being a condition of safety : to that I say your condition is a safe con- dition ; and whoever buildeth upon this rock, even this commission of the Spirit, shall never fail. And for your further satisfaction, that your joy may encrease, and be established to enable you to suffer in the day of trial when it doth come, I do pronounce you one of the blessed of the Lord, both in soul and body to eternity, which is of more peace than the tongue of man can express. Written by me, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, The Prophet of the Most High God, the Man Christ Jesus in Glory. December 9, 1664. Y 170 And as for the book I am about, it will more won- derfully open the Godhead of Christ, than all that hath been said before by us, with many other mys- terious things opened in the book of the revelation, which were not made known to us before, even almost all the chief heads in the book of the revelation, ex- cept those that I have treated on already; but I suppose it will be towards Easter before I can accom- plish it, and when it is ready, you and your brother shall hear of it. And in the mean time my love to your brother. _ LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. r " The prophet Lodowickc Muggktons Letter to William /"f 7 f^i j j i rr- * Lleve, near Lambnage, looo. WILLIAM CLEVE, I received your letter by your brother, dated March the 3d, 1665, which lines I am very sorry to hear or read; though I have heard much more than you relate, but I never did love to hear of other folks sins, but always love to hear of their righteousness ; but messengers of God are always troubled with other people's sins more than with their own, neither have the sins of others been a small disgrace and disparagement to me, be- cause they own me upon a spiritual account, so that I even could wish I had never been a messenger of God ; yet I knowing it was the portion of my Lord himself, and others of his messengers, to bear the shame and reproach of the sins of others, I am made the better able to do the same ; for the shame and reproach of other's sins doth reflect upon me and all in my condition, yet the punishment of sin will be to them that act it. And, whereas you: say you was 171 drunk with wine and beer, and upon that you com- mitted adultery, to that I say, if it had been but an act of drunkenness, or a bare act of adultery, though they are both wicked acts, yet they would have been more tolerable of forgiveness than this act of yours was ; for you acted with one that was neither maid, widow nor wife, but a common whore ; and not only so, but a defiled whore, defiled with the pox, for she is now in the hospital for cure, and you having to do with her, you have received of the same diseases with her ; for Doctor Powell doth affirm you have it, but not quite cured. Also he doth upbraid Mr. Fort, me, and all the believers that own me ; saying this is their faith, they can get the pox and then come to me to be cured ; he speaking this to Mr. Newsome and you, so that we are all ashamed to own such believers ; that so this commission is mightily ashamed by those things lying heavy on us all. But I have no occasion to aggravate your sins, but would rather have smothered it, neither should I have discovered it to any, though the cry of it hath been sounded in my ears by others ; yet I stopped even my ears against it, as one not willing to hear, and the reason why, because you own truth ; but had not the power of truth in you, which power I could not, nor cannot give if it be not planted in your na- ture. I cannot help that, and as for my speaking peace to your troubled soul, I would to God I could do so, and be justified in my own conscience ; but I cannot speak peace to sins of that nature, though your sin is not that unpardonable sin which can never be forgiven in the world to come. But your sin is more hard to be forgiven in this world, than the other ; for the sins you have acted it carries the curse immediately alon<* with it all the days of a man's Y2 172 life ; but the other aforesaid may do well enough in this life ; but the curse will follow hereafter. So that this is all that I can say unto you, that for my part I shall neither justify you nor condemn you ; neither will God condemn you himself for it; but if you can by your faith, repentance and newness of life, encounter with your sin, and recover the peace of your conscience, and the health of your body, I shall be very glad you may ; for sin is a strong enemy. So I must leave your faith and the guilt of your sin to strive together, and which getteth the victory, will be Lord ; and so I rest in sorrow for you, ."il/L o) aid! LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, London, Feb. 10, 1665. Dear Friend in the elernal Truth t Ellen Sudbury, I RECEIVED your letter, but when it was written I know not, being not dated ; but however, I am glad to see your own hand-writing, and more glad to hear of your health, and of your husband's health also. Likewise, it is no small comfort to me, to hear that you are so sensible of the benefit you have received by believing in the true God, and that peace and satisfaction you do find in the death of _ - 173 God : and as you say none can take it from you ; indeed none can take it from you ; for your faith being built upon that rock, all the powers of hell cannot prevail against it, not so much as to raise a doubt, or a question within you, as concerning your eternal happiness. This experience doth teach me the truth of it, and so I believe it doth you, with divers others also. And this true faith in you, it will be as a well springing up to eternal life, which will cause your peace and joy to fill up, and overflow, and run over ; which thing is hid, the knowledge of it, from all people in the world ; but only those that build their faith upon a true commission. And this I may speak further for your comfort, that this is the best time for the seed of faith to live in, as hath been since the creation of the world, notwithstanding the many troubles that are in the world at this day, and more troubles are yet like to ensue. But happy are those which have a peace which the world cannot give. For as many prophets and righteous men did desire to see that day as the apostles did, when Christ was upon earth, so I say many of the holy and elect seed, that have died these fourteen hundred years, have desired to see that day which we see, but could not; for what happiness can be greater unto man, than to know his eternal happiness in this life ? which thing cannot be made known but by a commission from God : so that now is the best time, in relation to truth, that ever shall be to the world's end. So, being in haste, I shall take leave, having little or no temporal news, only this, the sickness is very little now in London ; but it is supposed this summer will produce much trouble otherways, both by sea and land ; but time will shew the effects what they will be. 174 So I shall say no more, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered to yourself, and to your husband ; supposing you have received John White's letter before now ; I rest and remain, Your friend in the true faith, iliiw '$307 i i :!;>{> LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, February 10, 1665. . null L; -4 C0#y o/" a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, of Chesterfield, bearing date Feb. 7, 1665. ,' i it . t rlfi . i I>il!.''// . ',- ' ' \r London, March 17, 1665. UJ2 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Joseph Whitworth, at Abbots- Bromely, in Staffordshire, bearing Date May 19, 1665. " % Joseph Whitworth, I RECEIVED a letter from you, bearing date April 16, 1665. In your letter I find something of the seed of faith to arise in you concerning this commission of the Spirit, though there is not that full satisfaction, not as yet, in the thing declared by us, the witnesses of the Spirit, as there is in others, who have more ex- perience of the doctrine of the true God and the right devil, with many other heavenly secrets declared by us, than you have heard of yet. Nevertheless, your faith in time may arise to that perfect assurance and full satisfaction in your mind as it hath in many others at this day. Further, I must tell you, that there hath not been a man upon the earth that hath had the assurance of eternal life abiding in him, not this 1350 years, 'till this commission of the Spirit came forth into the world. Yet this I say, many were saved through election in that time, but had no assurance of it in themselves; for this is the great benefit people have by a com- mission, they do by faith attain to the assurance of their particular election, and so consequently to the assurance of their eternal salvation. And it is to be attained to no other way, but by faith in him whom 163 God doth send ; for the true ambassadors of God can declare what the true God is in his form and nature, and what the right devil is in his form and nature, the place and nature of heaven, the place and nature of hell, the persons and natures of angels, and the mortality of the soul. On these six principles, the knowledge of them, de- pendeth all the eternal happiness of mankind. These six principles, and many more heavenly secrets, which were never made known before by prophet or apostle, are declared and published by us, the witnesses of the Spirit, in those writings set forth by us. And as you say, if you had read them all, most of your queries, if not all, would have been answered. But I perceive you have had but a little of them, and how the case is with you. I shall take so much pains as to give answer to your queries, though there is greater things in print, and that which will satisfy the heart of man if understood. But to satisfy your desire, I shall answer as fol- loweth : First query is, Whether God hath elected some men and women to eternal happiness, and reprobated others unto endless misery, or not ? Answer. As to this I say, That God hath elected some men and women to eternal happiness, and re- probated others to endless misery. This was the faith of Moses, the prophets, and apostles ; also it is the faith of us, the witnesses of the Spirit : for God said unto Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and whom I will I harden. This was spoken in relation to Pharaoh, and to re- bellious Israel, and with relation to Jacob and Esau. 184 Therefore it is that the apostle Paul cloth instance Jacob and Esau, to those Jews in his time that did question God's election. All the apostles preached of election, but more especially the apostle Paul doth use many arguments for it, as may be read in the epistle to the Romans ; so that he was mighty strong in his faith for election and reprobation ; for who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? So that you must mind, that if there be a number of people elected of God, there must of necessity the other number of people be reprobated of God ; for if all were elected, what need there be any talk of re- probation, or eternal damnation ? And if any shall say it was a temporal reprobation, as many have done, To that I say, the election and reprobation the Scripture speaketh of, it was altogether in relation to a spiritual and eternal happiness ; for if God loved Jacob and his seed, and hated Esau and his seed, he was reprobated. So that there is two seeds, namely, the seed of Adam, and the seed of the serpent ; Esau being the seed of the serpent, therefore reprobated ; Jacob being the seed of the woman, that is, the seed of Adam, therefore elected. So that there being two seeds, there must needs be election and reprobation, for both cannot be saved. This was the faith of the prophets and apostles, and is the faith of us the witnesses of the Spirit. Second query. And as for those who are so elected, whether by generation according to birth, who are the sons of Adam to eternal felicity, and those which are the sons of Cain to endless misery or not ? Answer. To this I say, That the election of God 185 it Jieth in the seed ; that is, the seed of faith, who are the sons of Adam, are all elected ; for all the seed of Adam, which do become persons, so as to be born, they are all elected. Only this is to be minded, that election comes by generation ; not that God doth elect persons after they are born, but in the seed : so that when the seed of faith doth get the pre-eminency in the conception, and so a man or woman comes to be born, they may be said to be of the elect seed. But no person can know his parti- cular person elected, but by faith in the true God ; which true God cannot be known but by a prophet, as Moses, the prophets, and apostles, and us the wit- nesses of the Spirit, who were chosen witnesses of God. So that election comes by generation, but no man or woman can know they are of the elect seed but by believing in those messengers whom God doth send ; and their doctrine and declaration being true, the be- lievers of them do come to the certain assurance of their election, both in the seed and of their persons. So likewise it is on the contrary with the reprobate ; that is, when the seed of reason gets the upper-hand in the conception, and so a man or woman comes to be born, they may be said to be reprobated persons, they being reprobated in the seed, for reason is the seed of the serpent ; so that the whole person is so to be reprobated, being the serpent's seed, though he knows it not. But he that doth know his own elec- tion, shall as certainly know another to be a repro- bate ; for he that doth not know certainly another to be a reprobate, I say he doth not know certainly his own election. I speak not this of children, but of those capable of men and womens estates. Third question. How a man may know whether he be of the elect seed or not ? 2 A 186 Answer. To this I say, as before, that it is know a in believing the true messengers of God. So a man comes to know his own election, and another's repro- bation ; and in knowing a man's own election, he hath certain assurance of his own eternal happiness, and certain assurance of the reprobate's eternal misery. Fourth question. Whether after the belief of this commission, there will be any divine light, as a testi- mony evidencing in the believer's spirit a perfect assurance of his election, or not ? Answer. As to this I say, that there is in the true belief of this commission a divine light, that doth witness and evidence in the spirit of true believers of it, that doth give perfect assurance, both of their election, and of their eternal salvation. This many can witness unto at this day in England, and some in those parts where they live beyond the seas. Fifth question. Whether for resolution of any spi- ritual doubt, or removal of any eternal calamity, a man may address himself, by prayer, to the divine majesty, or not ? Answer. To this I say, we lay no bonds upon any believers in that case, but leave it to their own free- doms. For this I see by experience, that some be- lievers, whose faith is weak in the time of temporal calamities and troubles in eternal things, will make some application unto God, and it doth procure some satisfaction to their spirits, either to bear it more patiently, and willingly submit unto it, or else they find deliverance from it ; yet God taketh no notice of their prayer, for the deliverance, it doth come from the seed within them ; for God doth not work by outward and visible deliverance, as he did formerly, but more spiritual and invisible, because this is the commission of the Spirit. 187 So likewise some believers of this commission, their faith is so strong that they do not make any supplica- tion unto God in the time of temporal calamity, and by faith they bear it, and do find as good deliverance as those that do pray. So that whether you pray, or pray not, it is faith and knowledge that doth deliver in the day of trouble; so that you, or any believer of this commission of the Spirit, may do what they will in the matter, even as their spirits are moved unto, or their understandings are informed ; for it will do no hurt, if it do them no good, if they know not how to satisfy themselves otherwise. Sixth question. Whether this commission doth require the observing, or keeping any one day parti- cularly, or particularly apart, for the service of God, as the two former commissions, or not ? Answer. To this I say, that this commission doth not observe any one particular day, for any worship, or service cf God, as the former did; because the believers of this commission do worship God in spirit and truth. For no people under the sun doth worship God in spirit and truth, but the believers of this commission only : so that every day is a sabbath unto us. As to the rest of our minds concerning our eter- ^j nal happiness, we can say we have rested from all our labour, as God did from his creation : so that we are not bound up in our minds, as all outward worship- pers are, to meet every first day, and so bring them- selves into trouble, for that which God doth not command. For though God commanded the apostles to observe the first day, and they laid the same upon their believers, that is nothing to Englishmen ; for this is to mind that people are to observe every com- 2 A 2 188 mission in its time and place. So that when Moses and the prophets commission was in being, the peo- ple ought to obey it; every commission in its time and place ; so when Christ and his apostles commis- sion was in being, the people in that time ought to obey it ; so now the commission of the Spirit is in being, that ought to be obeyed. And look what worship is set up by these three commissions, in their time and place they ought to be obeyed, though they differ one from another ; nay, they are observed and obeyed by the true believers of them, and not as all the world doth, to observe them traditionally ; for Quakers and all other opinions do observe the sabbath, or first day, but traditionally. Seventh question. Whether it may be any matter of conscience for a man to put off his hat, or to use the language of thee and thou, or to give titles of honour to the great men of the earth ? Answer. To this I say, that it is no matter of con- science for a man to put off his hat, but is only a civil custom used in the nation where we live ; neither is it any tie laid upon the conscience of any man, neither by Christ himself, neither by any prophet or apostle; neither do we read any where in Scripture, that men were required to keep on their hats, though the blind Quakers do make it one of the chiefest articles of their faith ; and as for the language of thee and thou, that may be used or not ; for a man to tie himself to thee and thou to all persons, as kings and magistrates, this is but a traditional practice, imitating prophets of old, who were equal with kings, nay, whom princes have called them Lord, yet every silly man and wo- man, if they get to be Quakers, they will cry thee and thau to kings and magistrates of the earth ; nay, they would count it a great sin if they should do otherwise. 189 This is a mere taking up of prophets and apostles words by tradition. And as for giving titles of honour to the great men of the earth, to that I say, that great men of the earth, as kings, princes, and magistrates, they are called, in Scripture, Gods, though they die like men. And we find in Scripture, that prophets and apostles have given titles of honour unto kings and magistrates, as prophets have said to kings, O king, live for ever : As Daniel and Paul said, Oh king, Agrippa ! and noble Festus : so that prophets and apostles did give titles of honour to magistrates. But if it be your lot to see that letter which I have sent to Thomas Taylor, in Stafford, that would inform you further in these things. If you do enquire for Thomas Barnet, of Utoxeter, perhaps he will shew it you ; and if you did but see that book of mine, called The Quakers Neck Broken, you would see further in those things. I suppose William Newcombe, of Derby town, a bookseller, can help you to it. Eighth question. Whether, after the belief in this commission of the Spirit, a man may fall back, or not ; if so, .whether there be a possibility of return- ing again, or not ? Answer. As to this 1 say, after a true belief in this commission of the Spirit, there is no possibility to fall away, (that is) if there be true faith in the heart ; but if it be but a brain-knowledge, or only in the head, he may fall back away, and never be renewed again. For this I must tell you, that all those that did seem to own the apostles doctrine of the gospel, and did afterwards decline from it, and turn to the law of Moses, they may be said to hare faith in the head, and not in the heart. For none can be truly said to fall away, but those that fall away 190 from the truth ; and none can declare truth but he that is sent of God. Now the apostles being sent of God, all those that did seem to own their doctrine in their time, and did afterwards decline from it, and turn to the law of Moses, they may be said to fall away, that they had no true faith in the heart, but in the head only. For there can be no falling away, not properly, but they that fall away from truth, or from a true commission, when it is in being upon the earth. For men may fall away from all opinions of religion, or faith, upon the earth, and yet be safe enough ; because all opinions in religion in the whole world are taken up by tradition from the letter of the Scriptures. And so mens faith become traditional also : so that men may easily fall away from that traditional faith, and yet be never the worse. But if any shall fall from that faith he did seem to have in a true commissionated prophet, he shall never return again, but will certainly be damned to eternity. But if true faith doth arise out of the heart, he shall stand sure, and never fall ; but shall have the testimony and assurance in himself of eternal salvation. For this I have observed by experience, since God made me a messenger to declare his will, I have observed three sorts of faith, or conditions in man. Some men I have seen to have faith and knowledge in the head, and not in the heart: others again . I have observed to have faith and true knowledge in the heart, and not in the head. Others again I have ob- served to have true faith and true knowledge in the head and the heart. All these things I know by ex- perience. Now there is but one of these three that is capable to fall away, namely, he that hath it in the head only ; yet if a true prophet hath but charitable 191 thoughts of him that hath it in the head only, he shall stand the longer. But if the prophets good thoughts shall be taken from him, he will fall immediately, and his hopes within him will perish and die. But if men shall have true faith in the heart and head both, or in the heart only in this commission of the Spirit, they shall never fall away, but shall have the assurance of eternal life abiding in them. This many believers in this commission can witness so at this day. Thus, as short as I can, I have given you an answer to your queries, which may somewhat more satisfy your mind as to your queries; but in the reading of the books, as to the true doctrine concerning the true God and the right devil, and the interpretation of Scripture, the books will give a great deal better satisfaction to the spirit if understood. There is a young man of this faith that saw your letter, hath sent you a book, called, The Interpreta- tion of the llth of the Revelation, by your friend John Terry, with a letter also ; his name is John Saddington : so that if satisfaction be not found in the commission of the Spirit, 1 say it will be found no where. For this I must tell you, that whoever owns free-will, as to the saving of his soul, after he hath heard of this commission of the Spirit, and of the doctrine of election and reprobation, declared by us, the witnesses of the Spirit, I say such will perish to eternity, let their righteousness be ever so great, or think of themselves what they will. For Moses did hold forth the doctrine of election and reproba- tion, and declared much against free-will, saying, It is not in him that willeth, or in him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. And on whom he will have mercy, he will have mercy ; and whom he will he hard- enetk. 192 Also it is the faith of us the witnesses of the Spirit, and of the believers of it, who can witness in their own spirits, that they are elected, and have certain and full assurance of their eternal salvation, and as certain that others are reprobated to endless misery. But I shall say no more at present, but rest and remain, Your friend in the true faith of Jesus, the only true God, London, May 19, 1665. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to one John Hyde, living in Jewen, a bookseller t bearing date October 27, 1665. John Hyde y I AM informed that you have very much ex- claimed against me, as if I had dealt unjustly with you, as if I had done you a great deal of wrong, and not only so, but that I did gripe and exercise lordship over the consciences of others to keep myself in idle- ness. These are the best of your expressions ; so that I shall not take much notice of them, though you have shewed the naughtiness of your heart, and a lie in it. But the thing I would discover unto you, and wherein your heart hath not been right is this : did not you proffer to bind me a quarter of a hundred of books single towards the printing, because you could not spare money, and that you would have one for yourself; indeed I was unwilling you should do it, and was loth to accept of it, and I said I would pay you for what you did bind for me, not expecting that you should be at the charge, no not so much as to buy one, or to work one out in binding ; but you pressed upon me again and again to make up the quarter of a hundred. And you may remember I did ask you, in Mr. Medgate's shop, whether you did in- tend to have one of them altogether for the binding of a quarter of a hundred ? and you said you would have one single. Mr. Medgate doth remember it. But if you would have had them altogether, you should have had them altogether, for that would very near have been worth the binding of them, for you did ask me but 5d. a piece to bind them, neither are they worth any more. Likewise, did not you, when I was with you, with Mrs. Carter's book concerning the silver bosses, when I paid you Us. for her book, and my wife's book, did you not then ask me to send so many books as would make up the quarter of a hundred, which was fifteen then wanting. So, through your pressing of me unto it, I did send by my wife, fifteen to make it up ; for this I must tell you, if you had not pressed me to it, I would have bound no more than what I had present need of, but would have paid you for those ten that were done before, and there would have been an end of that business. For you might have had so much reason in you, that I would not go bind so many books to lie by me, for they will go off as well un- bound as bound. So that the thing would have been no benefit to me to lay out so much money, and take 2B it in by 6d. at a time, perhaps it may be a year or two before I receive the money in again. Again, if you did not intend to perform your pro- mise, why did you keep back that one book, accord- ing to your agreement, as if you meant to perform your promise ; for if you did repent of your promise, you should have sent that book also, and a line or two, that you did repent of your promise, and I would have sent you money to the full, though they were bound contrary to my desire. But through the wicked hypocrisy of your heart, you take offence at me, and rage and rail against me, as if I were an un- just man, or had done such an unjust deed to you, by cutting off such a sum which you did expect. But this I would have you to know, that it was never my nature, when I was in my lowest estate in this world, to covet or encroach upon any, to get any thing from them, no not to the rich ; and as to the poor, I was always tender of taking any thing from them, but would rather add unto them, even of that little that I had ; though I had power, and now have power, to command what I think fit of those I know can or may perform it, yet I never did in my poverty, much less now in my plenty ; for I considered their condi- tion to be mine own, and that I would not have been dealt so by ; so that the power I now have, did no Avays alter my natural temper in this matter ; neither have I got this plenty, whereby I stand in no need of any man, but all men do stand in more need of me, than I do of them. I say I did not get this plenty out of the saints, but Providence hath given it me by my wife, else perhaps I might have been more trou- blesome to some of the richer sort of saints than now I am. But to let that pass : I will shew you wherein you have shewed the greatest piece of hypocrisy, 195 that I have found in any man or woman, since I came to know truth : for you have acted just like Ananias and Saphira the Scripture speaketh of, who pretended to bring in their whole estates, and lay it at the apostle's feet, as if they were true believers of the apostle's doctrine, but the root of bitterness was in their hearts ; they pretended one thing, but did ano- ther ; that is, kept back part of what they pretended to give unto God. For whoever maketh a covenant with an apostle or prophet, he maketh covenant with God; and so Ananias became a liar unto the Holy Ghost, in that he did not perform what he pretended to do. And you may read what the effect of that sin did amount unto ; for if he had not freely and volun- tarily pretended such a thing, he might have kept his estate and his life both ; for who required that thing at his hand ? For he might have done with his own estate what he would, but when it was given unto God he could not; even so it is with you. Did I require any thing of you towards the printing of this book ? Was it not your own proffer ? Who required these things at your hands ? But you pretending, as Ananias did, to be one that did believe, you would, as other saints did, offer up a sacrifice unto God, to help to promote the truth. And because I did accept of it, you revile and speak evil of me, as if I had done you wrong. Have you not done as Cain did, offered up a sacrifice unto God, that God will not accept of, but reject it altogether? For if the messenger of God doth reject it, it is as if God did reject it ; for my soul doth abhor such a piece of hypocrisy, that shall pretend to give any thing for the honour and glory of God, and then repent of that deed, and not only so, but revile and speak evil of those they give it unto ; for this I must tell you, that your sin is as 2 B 2 196 bad as Ananias his sin was to Peter ; for you have not only lied unto the Holy Ghost, but have spoken evil of it also ; for I am as true a prophet as Peter was an apostle ; so that Ananias did tell a lie unto the Holy Ghost no otherwise than what was in Peter. And have you not done the same unto me, though not in the same manner : for this I must tell you, it is a dangerous thing to dally with edge-tools ; that is to say, it is a dangerous thing to make covenant with prophets, and not to perform your covenant, though you lose thereby. You must not think to deal with them as you did with other men. But seeing you have, through the hypocrisy and deceitfulness of your heart, acted like Ananias and Cain, as aforesaid, your sacrifice is rejected of me, and of God also ; for I shall not accept of it, neither will God afford you any peace in it, but altogether on the contrary. But this is not all : I understand that you, out of the pride, malice, and stubbornness of your heart, even with great wrath and gnashing your teeth, you expressed yourself thus, that if I did damn you, you would damn me, and that you had as great power to damn me as I had to damn you, if not greater, or to that purpose. Likewise you said, that I could not damn God's elect. I cannot damn God's elect ; but if you had been one of God's elect, he would never have suffered you to have fallen into such a deep pit of eternal destruction ; neither can any man be sure of his election, but by faith in the commission of God. But I will not stand to dispute that now, though I could give many reasons for it. Also you did threaten, that if I did damn you, then you would discover me what I am, as if you would persecute me, and those of this faith, but in what manner, and how, I know not But because you may execute 197 * your malice, I shall give you occasion enough to do it, for I had as lief you should do it as any other, if you can ; for I shall serve you as Christ did Judas, he gave him a sop, on purpose that Judas might be- tray him ; so likewise you shall have a sop given you, that if it is possible you may do as Judas did ; so that your own fears and words may come upon you ; for you have said many times, that you thought you should be damned by me, when as I thought not of any such thing, so that you said you had as good be damned at first as at last. This fear hath been in your heart ever since that business of Mrs. Harris, ever since your heart hath fallen ; and according to the thoughts of your heart, it is now come upon you. Therefore, for this wicked piece of hypocrisy, about the books, and not only so, but for your unjust be- lying me, as if I had a desire to encroach upon you, and upon others, and your proud, malicious, inso- lent speeches against this commission of the Spirit, with many other wicked speeches, which would be too tedious to name, therefore, by virtue of my com- mission received from God, I do, for these wicked things aforesaid, pronounce John Hyde cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men, and angels, to eternity, by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the two last Prophets and Witnesses to the High and Mighty God t the Man Christ Jesus in Glory. You may now shake hands with Mr. Colebrooke, for your portions will be both alike, only I would advise you to take the money for binding the books, there is Is, 6d. inclosed in your letter ; you Ijad as 198 food receive it as not, for God hath rejected it, and have rejected it. And further, if you will carry that one book more, which you have, to Mr. Med- fate's, you shall have 3s. for it, and then you will ave your full price for the quartern of books, at the rate of 5d. a-piece, which was your own demand, and so you may be rid of the doctrine as well as of the commission. I would wish you to let that book go also, that you may have your money altogether; for it hath cost you dear enough in all reason, so that it is great pity you should miss of it. October 27, 1665. j A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Marty n, Minister of Orwell, in Cambridgeshire, dated from London, January 16, 1666. I UNDERSTAND that you had a desire to see me, and to have some discourse with me, and that you were at a place in Orwell, to enquire for me. And not only so, but you brought also with you the high constable, and petty constable, and another man, to discourse with me. Do you think that any man that hath any wisdom, that can give any reason of his ways, would think that your intent was good, to bring your armies with you, to discourse with a naked man ; and not only an army of men, but great officers of the temporal sword, that they might not only bear 199 witness of what words should pass between you and me, or catch me in what questions you should ask me ; but, if they could have got nothing of me worthy of persecution, then, by virtue of the power of those two constables, you would have laid hold on me, as a deceiver of the people. These things have been acted by such serpents as you, in former times, to prophets, apostles, and to Christ himself. Plow oft did the priests and Levites, such as you are, tempt the Lord Jesus, by asking him questions, thinking to catch him in his words, that they might have therewithal to accuse him before the temporal power ! It is not long since that I was served so by a priest or minister so called ; and so caused the temporal magistrate to commit me to prison. But what this minister got by it ! It was no less than eternal dam- nation, which will assuredly be upon him, as it is upon murthering Cain, who killed his brother; and Judas, who betrayed his master ; for how is it possible any persecuting spirit, who persecute men for con- science sake, not breaking any temporal law, should escape the damnation of hell ? For this I must tell you, that persecution, merely for conscience sake, is the sin against the Holy Ghost; but more especially for men to persecute true prophets upon the account of deceivers, there is no pardon for this sin. But I have found by experience what the power of a pro- phet is, and I have found by experience also, that none are so great enemies to true prophets, as those called the ministers of the nation are. I find the prophets in the law were persecuted more by those sort of men than any ; and I have found those sort of men more active than any in persecution. So that the seed of the old serpent, the devil, it doth run in 200 the line of those sort of men ; it is as natural for those sort of men to persecute for conscience sake, and per- secute prophets, and so sin against the Holy Ghost, as it is for fish to swim in the water ; so that I do no ways admire the thing, but do see it must be so, and it can be no otherwise. But this I would have you to know, that if your intent had been real, then would you have come alone, and have discoursed with me privately, and not to bring great officers of the parish with you, to hear us discourse : so that your inten- tions were not good towards me, but by consequence very evil ; and it was the ready way to have procured the sentence of eternal damnation. But in regard I do not hear that you did any ways revile and speak evil of me, or of the doctrine declared by me, by calling it blasphemy, or me a deceiver, or such like terms, whatsoever your intent was in bringing those men with you. These things considered, I shall wave the sentence of damnation upon you at the present, for this your wicked intent towards me ; only this yoke I shall put upon your neck, by virtue of my commission from God: The thing is this, I understand that you, being a pretended minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, (I suppose you will own yourself a true minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ ; else what do you get up into a pulpit to preach to the people ?) For yet you pro- fessing yourself a minister of Christ, I hear you pre- sent, or cause to be presented, divers of your parish- ioners for not coming to church. Is this the practice of a true minister of Christ ? Surely no. Did you ever read in Scriptures, that any minister of Christ did so > Do you follow the example of the good shep- herd ? The Lord Christ speaketh of the good shep- 201 herd having an hundred sheep, and one of those sheep went astray, the good shepherd left the ninety and nine 'to seek that which was lost, or gone astray ; and when he had found it, what did he do to it ? He brought it home in his arms, and did nourish it and cherish it, and took more care of that which was lost, or gone astray, than he did of all the rest, that never went astray. This is the property of a good shep- herd. The moral is this : every true minister of Christ is a shepherd, and the people of his parish are his sheep, and the shepherd doth feed his sheep with such hea- venly pasture ; that is, with such saving doctrine, which giveth the sheep assurance of everlasting life ; so that their souls are fatted with the joys of heaven, in the full assurance of everlasting life ; and this hea- venly pasture, it casteth out all fear of eternal death. This ought to be your practice and your power, if you were a chosen minister of Christ; but how con- trary to a true minister do you act : for if any of your sheep be gone astray to error, as you call it, and dis- sent from your worship, then, instead of bringing them home in your arms, and giving them bread to eat, and water to drink, to nourish their bodies, and good admonition, exhortation, and the true interpre- tation of the Scriptures, to feed their souls ; instead of this, you present them, and labour to excommunicate them, and send forth the constables, church-wardens, and officers, to apprehend them, to bring them before the temporal magistrates, and so cast them into pri- son, or else get the wool off their backs, and leave them bare. Is this the practice of a true minister of Christ ? I suppose any conscientious man would be ashamed to own himself a minister of Christ, and yet do these 2 C things ; but it is the custom of most national ministers to do so ; therefore I do not marvel at it ; because I know there is none of you chosen ministers of God : +> but being chosen by men, ye act as men, yea, as wicked men. And seeing you are made a minister by men, and from men, and not from Christ, why are you not contented with that wages that men have appointed for you, and let mens consciences alone. Therefore I shall say unto you as John Baptist said unto those soldiers that asked him, saying, And what shall we do ? You know his answer was, They should be content with their wages, and do violence to no man. So I say unto you, be you contented with that wages the parish hath allowed you, and present and persecute no man for his conscience. So, as I am a minister, messenger, and ambassador chosen of God, by virtue of my commission from him, J shall lay this burthen upon you. That if you shall present, or cause the constables, church-wardens, or other officers, to present any man or woman under your ministry, for matters of con- science, or for not coming to church, let the people be of what opinion soever (always provided they pay you what is allotted for you, and the parish, and state-assessments ;) but if you shall present, or cause to be presented, any, for the causes aforesaid, after the receipt of these lines ; Then, from the Lord Jesus Christ, the only wise God, I do pronounce you cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men, and angels, to eternity. UU J J\J YV 1 U K Kt M U U\r J_j & 1 w i> ' LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. 203 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowickc Muggleton, to Mr. William Fershall, High Constabte of Orwell, in Cambridgeshire 3 bearing date from Lon- don, January the \$th, 1666. ^. Sir, I HAVE heard of you these four or five years, and I always heard a good report of you, for a mode- rate spirited man, and that your spirit is naturally inclined to peace and quietness; and that you are not naturally inclined to persecute any man for his conscience in point of worship : yet I hear, through the instigation and desire of the priest of your parish, that you, with the petty-constables, and the priest, did consent together, pretending to see me, and to have some discourse with me. And now what your intent was in it, I shall leave that to yourself; but that I know that your intents could not be good towards me : for I know if you follow the advice of your minister, your intent cannot be good, but alto- gether evil; for it hath been the practice of tha priests and Levites, in all ages, to persecute the truth, and true prophets. So they did by the Lord Jesus himself; for it was always their practice to propound questions to entrap and ensnare the messengers of the Lord ; and when they have words from a man, so as to ground persecution upon it, then they turn it over to the temporal magistrate, and officers of the civil government, to put their wicked malice and hatred of truth, under the pretence of high blasphemy, or else horrible opinions, or great errors : I say, they turn it over to the temporal powers, and the temporal 2C 2 204 officers must put their wicked minister's intent in execution. This I know by experience ; for I have tasted of the priests cruelty before now. And this I suppose would have been the case now, had the priest and you met with me. But I am sorry that such men as you should be priest-ridden, to go a persecuting strangers at his desire and request, without a warrant : surely you did it out of ignorance, not knowing the power of an high constable, that he may choose whether he will stir in such cases without a warrant ; or else you did sympathize with the minister, Mr Martyn, in his wicked design towards me. One of these two must be the motive to move you to go along with him. But I shall impute it to the want of the knowledge of your own power, rather than any desire of persecu- tion in you. Therefore suffer me to give you a word of advice, and do not think scorn that such a one as I should give you advice ; for I have given some judges of the land advice in point of persecution for con- science ; how that judges of the land ought to mind the laws of the land, and to give righteous judgment according to law,, and not to meddle with mens.qojn- sciences in matters of worship ; the conscience bc- longeth to God. What have judges to do 'with errors in judgment, there being no laws of the land broken, they ought not to meddle with any thing but what belongeth to the temporal law ; so you being high- constable, you ought to mind the place you are in ; you are to keep the temporal peace where you live, and if any warrant come from any higher than your- self, if it be for treason, murder, felony, tumults, or such like, you are to search houses, or raise aid, and take prisoners such as are found guilty of such crimes, oV suspected to be such persons, with many, other 205 such things of the like nature; yet all these things belong to the temporal laws : what is this to spiritual matters ? What if a man be accounted a blasphemer, an heretick or deceiver, by an ignorant clergyman, or shall dissent from his parish-church, through the tenderness of his conscience, will you exercise your temporal power to punish such men as never did you wrong, nor cannot break any of the laws of the land ? Yet because men are not of your opinion of religion, therefore they must be apprehended and persecuted to please the minister's malicious humour. Therefore this charge I shall lay upon you by vir- tue of my commission from God, that if ever the minister of the parish, or any other, shall desire you to send after me, or any other person,, upon -a spiritual account ; but if you shall voluntarily .seek to satisfy the wicked wills of persecuting spirited men, being not forced unto it by a warrant, you ought not to stir at the request of any one whatsoever. For if you do persecute me upon this account, there being no temporal law broken, or any other pjerson for con- science sake : if you shall jdo these things aforesaid* after* the receipt of these lines, you wjll commit that unpardonable sin against the Hotly Ghost, and so be found a fighter against God, and by consequence damned to eternity. For what have you to dp v4th a man that is a free-born man of E^gjaiwJ, as yjQ^dv self is, that cometh peaceably to $ee his friends? I)p we at London serve any of your country-people &pj Do we molest any of you, be you of what persuasion soever, provided you break not the Jong's peace;? I would have you to consider thqse things aforesaid before it be too late, and remember you were fore- warned by one of the two last prophets and witnesses 206 of the Spirit unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jesus in Glory. ; till' Written per me, nil . .'{I f rb~; LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. '.'>T>vir London, January 10, 1663. i:>'rs:M -jiv il ! A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr, James Brocke, bearing date from ^London, March 30, 1666, directed to Mile-End, near '.Mile,..' . . ^fPTtnPII Stepney. Frienb James' tfrocke, - - , ' I RECEIVED a letter from you, wherein I perceive you have heard and seen divers papers con- cerning the Jews : and further you say, that I am charged, as though I were in an error concerning the Jews 5 Call, as doth appear as they say, (that is, 1 sup- ppse'enemies do say) from the 46th chapter of The l>ivihe Looking-Glass : so that it seems that it doth li^ upon you as a great weight and burthen, so that you see no 'way to get it off you. Ateo you desire to be satisfied of me what the Lord hath revealed to me concerning those people of the Jews so mcTi spoken of, that you might be satisfied yourself; and that you might stop the mouths of others, 1 wn6 are gaiiisfcyers, that do upbraid you with 207 this, that it doth now plainly appear, as they say, that I have not truth on my side, in regard that I have written of no calling of the Jews into their own land, when the contrary (say they) is already ma- nifest. I was unwilling to give any answer to these things, because the thing is of no concernment whether the Jews be called into their own land, or not, what is that to the matter of salvation, whether they be or not ? The truth is nevertheless on my side : neither need your spirit be ever the more troubled, in case you be thoroughly satisfied and groundedin the know- ledge of the truth, that will thoroughly satisfy your spirit as to the matter of your salvation : so that no ca- villing devil whatsoever need to trouble your mind, as to the foundation of true peace, though it lieth not in your power to answer every cavilling question that people shall ask from the letter of the Scriptures ; neither will you be able to stop the mouths of gain-? sayers, though your knowledge in the Scriptures were greater than mine, or all mens knowledge in the world besides., You must not expect any such thing ; and as for their saying that truth is not on my. side, that is a small thing for me to bear : was there ever any prophet, apostle, or Christ himself, but the devil said they were liars, and in errors ? Did not the Jews, who were devils, serve Christ himself so? Did he stop the mouths of those devils, not withstanding his,wis,-r dom was so great that never man spake like this man, as it is said in Scripture ? Yet he could not stop tlie mouths of those gainsayers,, no ^withstanding his gjpeat wisdom. And if he could no^ do. U; hoWj.shqu^rJ do it, much less you ? It may b,e (enough for you.if you can ; satisfy. 'yourself in those that are of absolute necessity unto salvation. As, first, the knowledge of 208 the true God in his form and nature. Secondly, the right devil in his form and nature. Thirdly, the place and nature of heaven. Fourthly, the place and nature of hell. Fifthly, the persons and natures of angels. Sixthly, the mortality of the soul. The knowledge of these things are of absolute necessity unto salvation . These, with many other heavenly mysteries, that are treated on in our writings, that whoever hath the true knowledge of these things aforesaid shall not want peace of mind, though he cannot answer to every question the devil can ask from the letter of the Scriptures ; but, however, I tfh-all give you stinie answers to these things concern- ing thte Jews, that you niay be a little better satisfied hi thai paint, if you can understand it ; and that you see there is ho contradiction between the Divine! Glass and; the Scripture*. .ti, 1 : As to Christ's people, called the Jews, which you iiaivfe heard and seen so many letters of, ; who doth such mighty Wonders, who are going to their dwn yoti atei not sure it is true, nor nobody else ; aift'frifohned, it is nothing else but a point of pdlicy bf fhe pope, and his council, to fill the itflrid&of "pepj^fe With such things, that are at such a ctoft&nice thdt lione can disprove it; so that other thifigs, drat' 'are of more concernment, for the State ot ihe 1 nations, might not be minded; for all ptto'jrtes minds in all Europe are striving after some deH^fef^nfce ^f,tjtivilege j but what it is they would hare i they do not know. Secondly; If it were so indeed that those people te'Srttfuch a great body as it is indeed reported of tai'; -yet] -this 1 say, there is tiever a one of them t'dbth, or will believe 'in that Christ, or Messiah, that died at Jerusalem, which we believe in ; for those 209 Jews go to act over the law of Moses again, and their Messiah is yet to come ; but ours is come and past. Further, this you may observe, that these Jews in the Turks country are the children of those that put our Lord to death, whose father said, Let his blood be upon us and our children. So that these Jews will never be converted and believe in that Jesus which their fathers put to death ; for his blood is upon them to this day, and will be to the end of the world ; so that if they should get that land which Moses gave unto their fathers, yet they will never believe in that Christ or Messiah that we believe in, no, not traditionally, as most of Europe doth : so that I say, those Mosaical Jews will never be called to the faith of the gospel, neither do we in our writings meddle with the Jews O going into their own land ; if they do, that will be little benefit to me, or you, or any one else, as to our eternal happiness. But for their being called to the faith of the true Jesus, the only wise God, I am sure they never will be ; nor those that upbraid me with truth not being on my side, neither is the contrary yet come to disprove me, nor ever will come. Thirdly, I would willingly inform your judgment of the difference between those Jews the Scripture speaketh of, that shall be called to the faith of Jesus, and those Jews that shall not. This you are to mind, that there was many of the Jews nation that were moderate men, that had no hand in the death of Christ, neither did they give them their voice for the crucifying of Christ ; so that the blood of Christ was not upon them and their children. Therefore mind what I say, in the destruction of Jerusalem, which was a matter of forty years after Christ's death, I say, 2 D 210 then was all the innocent Jews taken by the Romans, with those Jews that were guilty of Christ's blood, and those innocent Jews, many of them being mixed in marriages with the Roman Gentiles, they have brought forth a generation of Jews of another nature, and of another profession. As thus, those Jews that kept to their own tribes in marriages, they professed only the law of Moses, they deny the gospel of Jesus, those shall never be called as aforesaid. Secondly, those Jews that mixed marriages with the Roman Gentiles, these Jews being of another nature, they are called to another profession of the gospel of Jesus ; but I must tell you, it is but to an outward profession of the gospel ; for few or none of those Jews do un- derstand the faith of the gospel, though they profess it no more than the Gentiles do ; for it is the power of the Gentiles that doth set up the gospel-worship all over Europe. Further, I shall distinguish who are Gentiles, and who are Jews, that do profess the gospel in a literal way : the Gentiles are all the priests and episcopal ; these two sorts of people that profess Christ they are not Gentiles : the Presbyterians, Independents, Ana- baptists, Ranter, and Quaker, are for the most part all Jews ; and those all do profess the gospel of Jesus in the letter ; but few of them in the spirit ; so that saying is fulfilled, Many are called, but few are chosen ; that is, many are called to the outward profession of Christ, but few that truly understand what this Christ is. Nay, I myself am one of those Jews of the tribe of Levi, according to the seed or spirit ; and not only so, but God hath chosen me the last man to declare truth to those Jews and Gentiles, and many there is called to hear it, but few that truly believe it ; yet 211 some there is both of Jews and Gentiles that do truly understand and believe in the true Jesus, which is the true God, these things I do certainly know. So that if you can understand these things here written, you will no more be troubled at the devil's words concerning the Jews: also, you will say, that truth is on my side, and will be on my side to the end of the world, when I am dead and gone ; so I shall leave you to consider of these things, and if you can uiaderstand them you may be the better satisfied, be- cause this is a universal interpretation, therefore more hard to understand. So I rest your friend, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. March 30, 1666. A Copy of a Letter written ly the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to one Mr. Fletcher, of London, June 25, 1666. Mr. Fletcher, who, as 1 understand, was formerly a Blacksmith by Trade, but now a Solicitor in the Law, I UNDERSTAND that you are the man that hath managed Pittman's business against Mrs. Butler ; and not only so, but you have got the better of it, your wisdom and subtil ty being greater than ours in the tricks and querks of the law, which we were un- acquainted with, though Mrs. ButlerY case was as 212 just a case as ever was, for Pittman did abuse and dishonour her good disposition very much, and he abused me much more, for I came in a fair way to Pittman, and told him Mrs. Butler had sent me a letter to receive the goods into my hands, and that I should pay Mr. Pittman half a year's rent ; and withal, she sent Pittman a discharge of her own hand- writing, which discharge was given into his own hand ; but he had not patience to read it himself, nor to hear any body else to read it, but did rage and rail at me upon a spiritual account, and called me blasphemer, with other base speeches, and did threaten to throw me at the fire back ; whereupon I did pronounce Pitt- man damned, soul and body, to eternity, and he shall be sure to suffer those eternal torments according to my word, for he hath blasphemed against the Holy Ghost, a sin I am sure God will never forgive. And I understand that you are so offended at me for passing the sentence of damnation upon Pittman, so that you have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit that sent me, and have raged and railed at me, and have called me blasphemer, a rogue, and have threat- ened me to persecute me, and to use your best en- deavour that possibly may be to have me in jail in three weeks time, with many other venomous and envious railing speeches ; which, since that your soul doth thirst after my blood, if you could takeaway my life, and not be hanged for it, I am confident you would do it if you could ; yet I know no wrong I. ever did you by word or deed, for 'I do not know you, neither do you know me ; neither did you or I ever speak together as I know of, yet I am so railed at and abused by your evil tongue for nothing. Did you ever hear me speak evil of you for managing the suit in law against Mrs. Butler, though I was con- *"' .. * 213 cernecl in it, but I did rather commend you for it that did things so wisely, that you made a bad cause to be good in law, when as the innocent and true cause was overthrown through our innocency, and our ignorance together ; yet in all this I never spake evil of you, not in the least, but could have wished I had known you before, that you might have been employed for Mrs. Butler's case, which was a just, righteous case ; for certainly, if you did so well for a devil, and an unjust cause, certainly you would have done much better, when your wisdom had acted itself forth for an innocent person as Mrs. Butler, and her just, righteous cause, as before said ; so that your best course would have been to have minded your suits in law, and have rejoiced that you over- threw the innocent in her right, which she must suffer patiently ; yet this gives no content, except you could be revenged on me for damning Pittman. What need your zeal have been so great for Pitt- man's damnation ? There was nothing said against you concerning that, you shall have minded the law of the land as aforesaid ; for this I shall affirm to you, or before any judge, that God hath cursed and damned Pittman's soul and body to eternity, and he and his wife did Ananias and Saphira (his wife) like, consult together out of envy to me, to do Mrs. Butler that wrong to detain her goods against her order. Therefore I say this, the Lord do so unto me, and more also, if the Lord doth not avenge himself upon Pittman and his wife, for their wicked, unjust deal- ings in this thing, and their blasphemy against God. And now I shall speak a few words to you, Mr. Fletcher, who was before-time, as I understand, a blacksmith by trade, but now a solicitor in the law. I do not repeat this out of any disparagement unto 214 you, but because I know more men of that name Fletcher ; so that I would not have the reflection of this letter to reflect upon any but the right person, because I do not know your other name ; so that the thing is this, that I shall say unto you, inasmuch as I perceive that you are of the seed of the serpent, a son of Belial, even a son of the devil, a reprobate, whom God hath appointed to be damned to eternity, therefore hath God raised you up, that he might shew his power upon you, in that he hath left you to sin against the Holy Ghost ; and not only so, but you have vomited and breathed out cruel, threatening, envious speeches against me, who am innocent, who never had any discourse with you in my life ; but I know your malice is, because I am the messenger of the most high God, and that you shall know to your eternal pain and shame, the wickedness you have committed, for which you must be damned. It is these, and such like ; as, first, you called me a blas- pheming rogue. Secondly, that I was a cheat and a deceiver, and it was pity I should live. Thirdly, and that you would persecute me what you could, and that, if it were possible you could by the law, you would have me in a jail, with many more cruel, envious speeches, which could not be spoken but by a reprobate devil, appointed to be damned, to one that scarce ever saw the man, and never asked me a question, neither spiritual nor temporal ; yet this evil hath proceeded from you. And do you think in your conscience, if I were not a messenger of the Lord, but only an innocent man; I say. do you think that you can do these things, and yet escape the damna- tion of hell ? Let any sober man judge between you and me. Therefore Mr. Fletcher the solicitor, as I am the messenger of the most high God, for these your blas- phemies against God, and your cruel murdering de- sires, and your wicked speeches against me, without a cause as aforesaid, I do pronounce this Mr. Fletcher cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. This is the sentence of the Lord God upon thee, and because it shall surely come upon thee, neither shall you escape what I have said, for thy wickedness is great, and thy sin is gone up to heaven, and crieth for vengeance ; therefore I say unto thee, God be judge between me and thee in this matter, and let God do so unto me, and more also than I have said to thee, if I shall do this without a commission from God ; or if this thing doth not come to pass, which I have said unto and upon thy person, body and soul, then let it be upon me, that you and others may know that God hath honoured a man so far as to give sen- tence of eternal damnation upon the souls and bodies of reprobate devils, who speak evil things they know not. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. . 'JO ,i I know you would gladly have something to accuse me of by the law of the land ; but I would have you to know, that I cannot break any of the laws tem- poral ; so that I suppose the judges of the land will not meddle with things that do not belong to the law, that is, with things spiritual, for that belongeth to God, and to those whom he will chuse ; for spiritual commissions are quite different from temporal com- missions ; and as judges of the land have commissions from the king, so God's messengers are judges, and have their commission from heaven; and the judges 21G of the land, they judge according to the tenor of their commissions ; so God's messengers, who are judges, they judge according to theirs, and they both have a rule to judge by ; and you see, that when men have committed such things as the law saith, whosoever doth them shall die : you see likewise the judge giveth sentence for the man to die. Is it the judge that puts that man to death ? Surely no ; it is the man's breach of the law that puts him to death ; so that the judge is not to be blamed, but to be honoured, for giving sentence according to law : so likewise it is with God's messengers, for they are judges of spiri- tual things. Now, if a man shall sin against the Holy Ghost, or shew himself to be of the reprobate seed, if God's messengers shall give sentence of eternal dam- nation upon such a man, shall the man so condemned by God's messenger, fly in the man's face, and say it was the messenger of God that condemned him to eternal death ? No, it was the man's sin that con- demns him to eternity ; the messenger doth but give sentence according to the demerit of the sin, just as the temporal judge doth in the case beforesaid. So I say, as certain as you Fletcher and Pittman have seen many a one put to death, or hanged after the judge hath given sentence upon them, so certain do I and others see that you must to the damnation of hell. Now the sentence is passed upon you, deliver yourself if you can. But because it is not executed upon you imme- diately, you may think there is nothing in it, but you will find it soon enough ; for if such as you had lived in Moses time, you would have been cut off presently ; for Moses did not stay long when the ground opened its mouth, and swallowed up those rebellious devils, such as you are ; so those Elijah destroyed with fire 217 from heaven, were such as you are ; so Elisha, Isaiah, and other messengers of the Lord, and the apostles, as Peter, the sentence of these messengers of God, they were immediately executed; and had you lived in that time, you would surely have gone to the pot immediately with them ; but your damnation doth neither slumber nor sleep. Also, I understand you do intend to have the Lord Chief Justice's warrant for me, and that you have a great many of the damned crew to witness against me. Indeed they may truly witness they area company of damned devils, that have sinned against the Holy Ghost ; and for my part, I shall witness before the justice, the thing is true, they are damned indeed ; only I would desire you, when you go to the Lord Chief Justice for a warrant, that you will present this letter of your damnation to his honour, and see if his honour will give you any encouragement to prosecute me upon this account. I believe his honour will do, as other judges have done, he will say it doth not belong to the law. How will such devils as you do then, for such mat- ters as these do not belong to the law. It will be your best course to take Mr. Dagget along with you, for he and you have been brethren together in ini- quity in this business of Mrs. Butler's and Pittman's, notwithstanding I did advise him to the contrary ; but I perceive he hath ventured his eternal damna- tion upon Pittman ; so according to what he hath done in relation to that letter, let it be unto him : but this I must say of Mr. Dagget, he is a far more moderate devil than thou art, for he acts more ser- pent like, but thou acts like a fiery dragon devil; but God will, by his mighty power of faith in me, see his vengeance brought upon the dragon, and upon 2 E the serpent; so I shall stand still, and wait upon my God, and in a little time I shall see the downfal of most, or some of these my confederate enemies; so I shall see what you can do according to the laws of the land. I have been more large than I did intend ; but be- cause these lines may be seen by more than the party himself, it was necessary people should understand the ground of things, so they may the better judge of these things. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, The true Messenger of Jesus Christ. jj 'jTuijj>.) o. t o; June 25, 1666. A Copy of a Letter written by the prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Harrison, called Minister of Blithfeild, in Staffordshire, dated from London, Octo- ber 6, 1666. Sir, I UNDERSTAND you took a book from Joseph Whithworth, entitled, The Interpretation of the llth of the Revelation; but I suppose it was by the justice's order that you had it to peruse, the jus- tice conceiving that you were better able to judge of it than himself, you being a clergyman, or a pretended minister of the gospel ; for pretended ministers of Christ, or false priests, having no commission from 219 God for such a great work, they always become enemies to true prophets, apostles, and to Christ him- self; none so great enemies and persecutors of truth as false priests, and false ministers. This the Scrip- ture doth witness for truth. Also I do understand that you did call the doctrine and interpretation of that book blasphemy and deceit, and a lie, with divers other wicked speeches against the doctrine contained therein ; and not only so, but you did rail against me, the author of it, calling me a blasphemer, and a deceiver, and that you did believe that I was a Jesuit ; and that you did believe I had received orders from the pope to divulge these things to deceive people withal, in regard my name was un- known unto most people, it being not a common name. These, and such like words, have proceeded out of your mouth, which doth discover unto me what your heart is : also I do see further into your heart, in that you did breathe forth threatnings of persecu- tions against me, in that you said I deserved fire and faggot, with other cruel punishments, as if you did not know what punishment was great enough for me. These, and such like words of yours, they shall be a witness against you in your own conscience, and God, angels, and men shall witness against you, that you have sinned against the Holy Ghost, as those Scribes and Pharisees did, which called the spirit and power by which Christ wrought those wonderful miracles, they called it a devil, so they sinned against the Holy Ghost. In the same manner have you sinned that unpardonable sin, which will never be forgiven you in this life, nor in the life to come, for you are the absolute seed of the serpent, a son of the devil. This I do certainly know, for none but that reprobate seed, whom God hath blinded their eyes, lest they should 2E2 220 see the truth, when true light shineth before them, would have said as you have done ; for this I must tell you, whosoever despiseth an embassador of Christ, despiseth him that sent him, and sinneth against the Holy Spirit that sent him, as you have done, in that you have blasphemed against as pure a truth as ever was spoken by prophet or apostle ; for the same God that gave them authority to write the Old and New Testament, the same God gave me authority to write those things you have so much despised, and you shall find your blasphemy against those things pu- nished with the same punishment as those that sinned against the Holy Ghost, when the prophets, apostles, and Christ were in being upon the earth. This is not all, for you have shewed what a mur- dering devil you would be, if it did lie in your power; no less than burning at the stake, or some greater punishment, would satisfy your devilish spirit, could you accomplish it; just as the old serpent devil Cain, your grandfather ; and bloody Bonner, your father ; you know my meaning. But this I say, though you cannot accomplish your will, yet I know your desire is set on the fire of hell ; therefore, according to your de- sire to me, it shall be done unto you ; and look what measure you would have meted unto me, it must and shall be meted unto you again ; for you have com- mitted high blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that sent me, and in calling the doctrine contained in that book blasphemy, deceit, delusion, and a lie, with other wicked speeches against things you know not, which books such devils as you were not worthy to look into ; and also for your serpentine nature, that would, if it were possible, persecute me to the death as aforesaid, a man that never did you any wrong, nor never saw you in my life to my knowledge; but 221 by your own words you shall be justified, and by your own words you shall be condemned ; therefore in obedience to my commission received from God, I do, for the aforesaid blasphemies against the Holy Spirit that sent me, and what measure you would have meted unto me if you could, the same shall be meted to you again, as burning and the like, I do pronounce Mr. Harrison, minister of Blithfeild, in Staffordshire, cursed and damned both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. Your body, which is now your heaven, shall be your hell, and } r our proud and envious spirit shall be your devil ; the one shall be as fire, and the other as brimstone, burning together to all eternity. This is the sentence of the Lord's messenger upon thee, andthou shalt remember that thou werttold so by a true prophet. Deliver yourself from it if you can. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. To satisfy your evil mind that I have no ordei's from the pope, you may know that I was never above twenty miles by water in all my life, and that I am no Latin scholar at all, only I can read English, but not so perfect as many others can, yet God hath given me more knowledge in the Scriptures of the true sense of them in the English^ensethan any man in the world, so that I need not travel to the pope to learn know- ledge from him . It was never the practice of prophets and apostles to seek after learned men for heavenly knowledge, for prophets and apostles were taught hea- venly knowledge of God ; so it is with me, my knowledge 222 is of God, and not by education and learning from man. Also I am a freeborn Englishman, and a free- man of London by birth, and born there, and never was out of England in all my life : also I am known by person to thousands, and by name to hundreds, and to many that never saw me ; so that you need not so much wonder at the strangeness of my name. Also I have been in three several prisons upon this account, and have had many, persecuting enemies, and in every persecution against me there was a priest, or that you call a minister, with others that perse- cuted against me ; but they got but little by it, but procured their further damnation ; for what hath the law to do with mens damnation ? The law cannot justify that which God condemns, for a sentence of damnation cometh not within the compass of the law. And so it was said by one of the judges of the land when I was tried ; the judge said, the matter did not belong to the law, so I was quit : besides, I have had to do with a many of your priests, both episco- pal and presbytery, and all other speakers ; so that I have not been so obscure, but have been known to all sorts of people, though not to every particular man ; so that you need not to question what I have said concerning you, for I shall justify that sen- tence upon you, and others of your coat, before any authority whatsoever, as I have done in former times. I thought good to write these few lines, to satisfy your malicious spirit in that matter, concerning my going to the pope, (as you did suppose) and what I am, so that you may doubt no more of that matter ; so that you may turn your persecuting spirit some other way, if you can tell how to state the malice of 223 your heart according to law ; you may do it, and see if that will ease you of your eternal damnation. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. October 6, 1666. The prophet Lodowicke Muggleton's Blessing to Mrs. Anne Lowe, now the wife of Alexander Delamaine, senior. Given to her July 5, 1667. Dear Friend in the eternal Truth, Mrs. Anne. Lowe, ACCORDING to your request I shall write these lines as followeth : first, I looked upon you to be one of the blessed of the Lord, and seed of faith, before your aunt died ; but I knew the seed was smothered and stifled in you through some temporal occasions, which could not be avoided, so that the seed of faith in you could not grow to perfection ; no, not so much hardly to be seen ; yet I saw, in that time of darkness, that there was a love in you unto the truth, though your knowledge and experience was very weak, yet I had a good opinion of you, that in time the seed of faith in you would spring forth, and appear in its own likeness ; and, according to my thoughts of you, it is come to pass, which I know your own experience can judge of it ; for now you can tell, in some measure, what difference there is between light and darkness, and between ignorance j i i j : and knowledge. ; / 224 Secondly, I do perceive, within a short time, even since your aunt died, that your faith hath grown very much, to receive a prophet in the name of a prophet, else would you not have requested such a thing at my hands; and because you would be sure you would not be satisfied with a word from my mouth, but would have it under my hand-writing, though the word of a true prophet is as powerful to the party concerned, either in blessing or cursing, as writing is, only the party concerned cannot look upon words when they please ; neither can they shew them to others, as they can writings, when I am dead and gone. Therefore, to satisfy your request in this thing, I shall say this unto you, that I have so much discern- ing of what seed you are of, even of the seed of the woman, which is the seed of faith, that blessed seed, and not of the seed of the serpent, which is the seed of reason, that cursed seed ; so that I am fully assured in myself, and do steadfastly believe, and my faith hath no doubt in it, neither in the blessed, nor in the cursed. Therefore, that you may be assured of your eternal happiness and salvation, without any doubt, I do, by virtue of my commission from God, and the faith I have in your eternal happiness, I do pronounce thee, Anne Lowe, one of the blessed of the Lord, both in soul and body, to all eternity ; so that you need not fear, as Jacob did, when .he received the blessing of his father Isaac, he feared a Curse itfste'ad of a blessing, because he stole the blessing! 'yet, being blessed by the father that had power to ble'^s, he was blessed, and it could not be taken off him again : so I say by you, being blessed by the las t true prophet of the most high God, who hath potfer 225 given him from heaven so to do, thou art blessed to eternity, and none can take it from you again. Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jesus in Glory. 1667. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggletvn, to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, November 4, 1667- Dear Friend in the eternal truth, Ellen Sudbury, MY love remembered to you and your hus- band ; I received your letter, and am glad to hear that you are both well ; but as for those slanders and evil reproaches that are cast upon me by the damned crew, it is a small thing counted by me, for they did so by Christ, the only God, when he was upon earth, and would do so to him now if he did appear in mor- tality as I do, though now the seed of reason doth honour the words of the true prophets and apostles, who said by Christ, never any man spake like this man ; but the seed of reason the devil did think then, never any man spake like him for error, pride, and blas- phemy. What \ make himself equal with God ? 2 F 226 The same case is with me, though I know never any prophet or apostle did or could speak, or. declare those things as I have spoken or declared, and the seed of faith doth and will know it to be true what I have said and written ; neither do I speak this out of any pride, but out of perfect knowledge, for true knowledge hath no pride in it : also I know the blessed of the Lord will witness unto it ; and the more the devil layeth slanders and reproaches upon the truth, the seed of faith will be the more strengthened in their faith ; for I am as a mark for every wicked man to shoot at, yet the archers can- not hit me so as to wound me, though many arrows have been shot at me, but my knowledge, revelation, and power remaineth in as full strength and power as ever. I know William Watson's brag of George Fox's book, and so are many more of the Quakers people ; but that will yield them but little peace. Also, I am desired very much by some that have been Quakers, but are come to own this, but are very weak, not able to give a reason of their faith in this, desireth me to write an answer to George Fox's book, which thing I have begun, and as soon as I can I. shall perfect it. JiijI received the fifteen shillings, and I thank you for your kindness, and your kinswoman or friend for hers, and so doth Mrs. Bladwell, she is alive still, but very \ye,ak of body, but as confident of her eternal hap- piness as ever ; also I have sent your kinswoman or friend a book all bound together, the price is ten shillings, they were always so. Our friends here are all pretty well, but in Cambridgeshire Charles Cleeve hath buried his wife, which is a great trouble to him for the present. *. LoO rhi-w iufjjn '!!;> f;, : r{ -,!.;. ! .vni-niq' 'I I' 227 This is all at present, but my wife's love remem- bered unto you. I rest your loving friend, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Elizabeth Hooton, Quaker } January 26, 1668. . Elizabeth Hooton, i I SAW a letter of yours sent to James Brocke; it is supposed that you are the mother, or some re- lation to that Samuel Hooton of Nottingham, who was damned to eternity by me in the year 1662. It is no great marvel unto me that he proved such a desperate devil, seeing his mother was such an old she-serpent that brought him forth into this world. Also it is thought, that Dorothy Carter did give sen- tence of damnation upon you, as one of the seed of the serpent ; but seeing it is not certainly known un- to me, and in that you have written cursed, and many blasphemous speeches concerning me, for in that you have blasphemed and cursed me, whom the true God, the man Christ Jesus, hath sent ; you have blasphamed against God that sent me, and have sinned against the Holy Ghost ; and look what judg- ment is given upon your soul and body by me here in this life ; God himself doth approve of it, and ^i 2F2 228 not reverse it. If your letter had been only con- cerning James Brocke, I should have left it to him to struggle with you, though I know those curses you have pronounced against him, they will fall upon your own head, and not upon his ; and what he said concerning George Fox, it was nothing but truth, and George Fox shall find it so in the end. But seeing the greatest part of your letter to him is against me, I shall give some answer unto it. First. You charge me to be a sorcerer, and have opened (as you say) my mouth in blasphemy against the God of heaven and earth, and against the saints of the most high, meaning you Quakers. Secondly. You charge me with a cursing spirit ; and say, that woe and misery will be the portion of us both, meaning James Brocke and myself, and that it had been good we had never been born. Thirdly. Be it known (say you unto us both) and to all our wicked crew, as you call them. Fourthly. You say, woe unto thee, Muggleton, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteous- ness. Fifthly. You say, cursed shalt thou be in thy going out, and in thy coming in ; and say, thou art a damned devil, as thou hast said unto others ; so shall it be unto thee ; and say, thou shalt roar in hell, and all such as be of thy spirit. Sixthly. And say, for a sad day is coming upon thine head ; and say, the same head that cut off thy brother Reeve, and shortened his days ; and say, the same hand will cut off thee. Answer. First, You do by me as those wicked Jews did by Christ, when he cast out Devils, and cured diseases by the power and spirit of God in him. They said he did it by Belzebub, the prince of DeviU ; 229 so likewise do you Quakers say by me, because I do by the commission of the true God, and have cast out many devils out of many of you Quakers and others by a word speaking, and have subdued those witchcraft-fits within many of you Quakers, so that the strength of your witchcraft is much abated in you all, and you Quakers become many of you in your right minds, to your peace and comfort, and others of you Quakers are cloathed in your right minds, being not able to procure a witchcraft-fit as formerly, for it turns to a sensible rage, and malice and blas- phemy against the true personal God, saying, I do these things by sorcery, as the Jews did by Christ, as aforesaid. Secondly. You charge me with a cursing spirit, and say, that woe and misery will be the portion of us both. To this I say, if I have cursed any of you Quakers without a just cause, or without a commission from the true God, let woe and misery come upon me in- deed, according to your desire, and I shall bear it pa- tiently, as I have testified in all my writings, that if those curses I have pronounced upon all you Quakers, and others, if it be not from authority from God, then let them be upon my head, as the desire of Quakers is ; but I knowing God hath owned me these seventeen years, and hath made his power visi- bly appear in me upon the bodies and souls of many of you Quakers, and more especially in these six years time, and that God doth own that curse I have pronounced upon the Quakers people more than any other : Why ? because the Quakers people are more Anti-christian than any other, though I confess the malice and temporal persecution hath been to me more from others than the Quakers ; but the 230 Quakers people being of a more Anti-christian spirit, and fighters against God, a personal God, than any others whatsoever, therefore the curse I have pro- nounced upon the Quakers people, it hath taken more visible effect upon them than any others ; for the Quakers God and Christ is all within them, and from this God within them do they fight with my God which is without me, even the man Christ Jesus in that body that was nailed to a tree, as the Scrip- ture saith, which is without me. For at what time did any man ever hear any that professeth the Scrip- tures, or the Christian religion, to say they would trample Christ Jesus, my God and me, under their feet as dung, and despise a God of five foot high, as you Quakers have done ; for you Quakers know that I own no other God but the man Christ Jesus in glory, and he to be both God and man in one single person ; yet you defy this God of mine, and say you would trample him and me under your feet as dirt, for which things hath the wrath of this God fallen upon you Quakers, and the curse pronounced by me, his messenger, hath taken place in some of the emi- nent Quakers ; for the curse pronounced by me, God's messenger, is to part your Christ within you one from another ; for you Quakers do not die, as you say, you do but go out of the body ; but sure, when you do go out of the body, your Christ within you, sure your soul and he doth part one from an- other, and never shall see one the other more to eternity ; and this hath been the effect of the curse upon some of you Quakers, only to separate Christ's spirit from yours, that you may never see one the other more to eternity. And seeing these things have fallen put in these my days, and that God hath chosen me to stand as a wall of brass against all Anti- 231 Christian spirits, for every hypocritical spirit to shoot their arrows at me ; but none can hurt me, nor make any entrance into me, because the whole armour of God is put upon me ; my feet are shod with peace, my breast with the breast-plate of righteousness, and upon my head is set the helmet of salvation, and in my : left hand is put a shield of faith, and in my right hand is put a two-edged sword, so that no fiery dart of the devil, man or woman, can enter me, or hurt me ; and with this two-edged sword in my right hand have I fought with many men devils, and have overcome them, and yet received no wound myself. And now, last of all, there is a wo- man devil, namely, Elizabeth Hooton ; she hath shot forth her poisonous arrows at me in blasphemy, curses, and words, thinking herself stronger than her brethren, that if happily her poisonous arrows might pierce into me ; seeing that so many of her Quaker- ing brethren to fall before me, she was moved with ^j great wrath against me, and zeal for her God and Christ within her, and madness, that some of her brethren, the Quakers, after the curse pronounced upon them for their blasphemy, they went out of the body, or laid down their bodies, as Thomas Leigh did. This moved her to pour out the poison that was in her heart, with her tongue set on the fire of hell against me, in curses and blasphemy, thinking her poisonous arrows and venomous tongue should have took hold or place in me, more than her brethrens curses did before ; but as the men devils your bre- thren the Quakers, were made partakers of God's vengeance by the curse of his messenger, .in^that they blasphemed and despised the true God as afore- said, in that they are damned to eternity, besides their going out of the body here as you think, so will 232 the same curse follow you for your wicked, proud, presumptous speeches, in that you, being a woman, will undertake to pronounce woe and curses to one that hath a commission from God ; yet you, from a light within you, and a Christ within you, a sandy foundation one, a puff of wind from a true prophet will lay it level to the earth: and would it not have been great pity, that such a she devil as you arc should have escaped the sentence of eternal damna- tion ? Surely it would ; and because you shall know for what you are damned, I shall rehearse some of your wicked speeches, curses, and blasphemy, which have proceeded out of your mouth. First. You say, woe unto thee, Muggleton, thou child of the devil. Secondly. You say, I have opened my mouth in blasphemy and cursing. Thirdly. You say, I am cursed in my going out, and in my coming in. Fourthly. You say, I shall roar in hell, and all such as be of my spirit. Fifthly. You say, the same hand as cut off my brother Reeve, and shortened his days, the same will cut off me. Sixthly. You have called me sorcerer, because I have cast the devil and witchcraft spirit out of some of you Quakers, and bound some quaking devils, un- clean spirits, in chains of darkness and fetters of death, that shall never be let loose to eternity. These things have been wrought and much more, by the commission of God in me, for which you call me sorcerer, as those devils did say by Christ when on earth. He cast out many devils and unclean spirits out of men and women, and they said he did it by Belzebub, the prince of devils. So say you Quakers 233 oy me ; and you, Elizabeth Hooton, Quaker, have, in a high manner, like them, also sinned against the Holy Ghost that sent me, with great pride and high presumption, as may be read before. Therefore, in obedience to my commission from the true God, the man Christ Jesus in glory, in hea- ven above the stars, I do pronounce Elizabeth Hooton, Quaker, for these horrid blasphemies and hard speeches against the truth, cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. Your own body shall be your hell, and your proud raging spirit shall be your devil ; the one shall be as fire, and the other as brimstone, burning together to all eternity. Your Christ within you cannot, nor God without you will not, deliver you from the sen- tence I have passed upon you. Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. One of the two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit unto the High and Mighty God the Man Christ Jesus in Glory. January 26, 1668. >?:'. 234 Tlit Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Parker, May 25, 1668. !, ;)([;; Loving Friend, Mrs. Par&er, I HEAR by Mrs. Sudbury that you have been very ill, else you would have written to me yourself; I should have been glad to have received a few lines from yourself, if you can write, though it may be you may think you cannot express yourself as you would, yet let not that IDC any hinderance to you, for it is not the wisdom of placing words that I mind, but the sin- cerity of the heart ; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, or writeth, whether it be in things that are good, or in things that are evil. I confess I do not know you by the sight of the eye, nor by writing ; but I have heard a good report of you by others, as one that doth truly believe the truth, es- pecially by Mrs. Sudbury. She giveth a good cha- racter of you, as one grounded in the true faith ; as if your knowledge did arise very high, in believing all things declared by me, and that you have a good un- derstanding in the rise of the two seeds, and how God became flesh, with other things ; and that you have received much peace and satisfaction in your mind, since you believed in this commission of the Spirit. I do not in the least question the report that is given you by others, but am altogether inclined to believe it, especially from such persons as have experience"in themselves, they can judge of the experience in others also ; there are few persons that have a love for me, 235 as a prophet of the Lord, but their hearts are right in the sight of God also. And as the foundation of )'our faith is built upon this commission of the Spirit, it will be as a sure rock that shall never fail you, though many storms of reason, the devil's temptations, may come violently upon you, yet it will not touch that inward peace of conscience in the assurance of ever- lasting life ; for faith in the true God is that white stone in the heart, wherein is written a new name, which none can read but those that have it. This many can experience at this day. Also I doubt not but your faith will grow in you more and more, from strength to strength, so that the peace and satisfac- tion you have begun in you already may encrease to a greater measure of peace and satisfaction of soul to the things of eternity, to the full assurance of everlasting life, so that no doubt may arise in your heart. I thought good to write these few lines unto your- self, to strengthen your faith, perceiving by Ellen Sudbury's letter it was your desire. So at present I shall say no more, only my love to yourself. I rest your Friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The P otter n^ London, May 25, 16(58. My wife, though unknown, remembers her love unto you. * 2 G 2 The Oppy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. El/cn Sudbury, May 25, 1668. Dear Friend in the eternal Truth, Ellen Sudbury, I RECEIVED your letter with the inclosed, and gave your husband's letter to Mr. Delamaine ; also I am glad to hear that you and your husband are both well as to this present life, for I know your hap- piness in the life to come will be sure, in that my faith is in you, and your faith in me ; and so by faith God is in us, and we in him. This is that union men and women have with God, being partakers of the divine nature of God. Faith comes by hearing the word of God preached ; and how shall he preach, except he be sent ; that is, who can make known the true God, and declare the true righteousness of faith unto man, but he that is sent of God ; and this righteousness of faith was in you, Ellen Sudbury, before you saw me, and my faith was in you before you saw my face, and before I saw your face, or heard your voice ; but in your letters I saw that salvation was come to your house, in that you received a prophet in the name of a prophet, you could not miss of the blessing of eternal life ; and you being the instrumental occasion of your husband's receiving the faith, whereby he hath peace and rest in his soul, as to his eternal happiness, as I find by his writings : so that it may be truly said, that salvation is come to your house, in that you received a prophet in the name of a prophet, you have received a prophet's reward, for every true prophet hath salvation attending on him. And as for our friend Mrs. Parker, I perceive she hath been very ill, and that she would beg a few 2:37 lines from me. Now, what I write to her must be grounded upon your report, for I do not know that ever I saw the woman, or received any lines from her, yet I judge your discerning to be good, and the things true you report of her ; therefore, upon your report, I shall write a few lines to her in particular ; and as for my coming into the country this year, I think I shall not, neither to Cambridgeshire, nor no where else. I am desired much by Charles Cleve, and other friends there, to come this summer, and by friends in Kent also, but I have no intent to go from London ; but for the devils malice I matter not what they can do unto me, for the devils must not go beyond the law, lest they bring themselves into a premunire ; for had I known so much as I do know now, when I was taken at Chesterfield, I would have made the mayor, aldermen and constable weary of what they did. The devils malice could have done me but little hurt if I had been wise ; but as the proverb is, Wisdom is good when it is dear bought. Now I can certify you, that I have finished the answer to George Fox's book ; it is ready for the press, therefore what you are pleased to give towards it send as soon as you can with convenience, not wronging yourselves. I thought by our friend Tomkinson's letter to have seen him at London about Whitsuntide, biut he did not come. This is all, but my love to yourself, and to your husband, with my wife's love to you both. I rest and remain your Friend in the true Faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, May 25, 1668. Direct your letter thus for me : for Lodowicke Muggleton, at the widow Brunt's house in the Pos- tern, next door to the sign of the White Horse. 238 The Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Thomas Tompkinson, May 26, 1668. Loving Friend in the eternal Truth, Thomas Tompkinson, \r~\ r, , ,i'A -rf - . % j I RECEIVED in Mrs. Sudbury's letter, dated May 3, 1668, a letter of yours inclosed, dated April 20, 1668 ; in which letter of yours I am glad to hear you are well, and that your faith is so strong as I per- ceive it is ; neither are you blamed by me for any slothfulness in you, for I am glad you are so well sa- tisfied in yourself that you had no need to write to me. I could wish all saints were so satisfied in their minds in all things, to have no need to write unto me, neither for temporal nor spiritual satisfaction. I could be glad if every saint had it in themselves. Also I perceive in your letter that you had an intent to come to London about the tenth of May, but it seems some occasions did prevent you of that journey at present ; and as for that book of George Fox's, I have written an answer unto it ; I have now finished it ; it will con- tain, as I suppose, a matter of twelve or fourteen sheets of print. There was great glorying in the Quakers people at the first in George Fox's book ; but this answer will be as great a shame to them ; therefore what you, or any others, are free to give towards the printing, let it be as soon as you can, for I do think to put it to the press about two or three weeks hence. You may, if you please, send it to Mrs. Carter's, or Mrs. Sudbury's, which you please, and they will convey it unto me. And as for that 239 book Fox set forth against me, it maketh all wise men to see the weakness of the Quakers people more than they did before, for there is none rejoiceth in that book but those that are damned by me, or some ig- norant shatter-brained people, that know not their right hand from their left in matters of religion ; but such people as are serious, that do mind interpretation of Scriptures, they like it not, for he hath brought many places of Scriptures to prove me a false prophet and liar, but he giveth no interpretation ; he leaveth the dead letter to speak for itself, and to condemn me ; so that I am forced to interpret those Scriptures Fox hath left silent, which will appear in the reading of this answer to his book. This is all at present, on\y to let you know that I am well ; so with my love remembered unto yourself, and your wife, I rest your Friend in the true Faith, : LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, London, May 26, 1668. F C/8 9d OJ / lib My wife, though unknown unto you, desireth her love remembered unto, you and your wife, You may direct your letter to me thus : for Lodo- wicke Muggleton, at the widow Brunt's in the Postern, London, next door to the sign of the White Horse, near Moor-lane. . o) ill is" ' I:- 240 Ji :,iii.i?. mil Dion i -^ Co/>3/ o/* Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mrs. Dorothy Carter ; being a relation of some Passages in a Discourse with George White- head , and Josias Cole, two Speakers of the Quakers, in the Year 1668 ; as also some relation of that cursed Devil Thomas Loe, Speaker of the Quakers, and how n the Effects of God's Vengeance did seize upon him, immediately after the Return of an Answer to his cursed blasphemous Letter sent to me, and in less than three Weeks after was dead and buried. ;ib,-n : ^>< 1. THE first question or words Cole spake to me, as near as I can remember, were these : saith he, thou sayest God is in the form of a man, and thou sayest his hand is not much bigger than mine or thy hand ; and thou seest what a little this hand will hold ; yet, saith he, God is said to have measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket. Why, said I, do you believe God to be so big to hold the waters in the hollow of his hand ? That is spoken in relation to his great wisdom, power and do- minion, and not relating to the bigness of his hand; for a king may conquer many kingdoms by the power of his sword, which his people have put into their hands by his command ; and the king may say he hath won these kingdoms, and reduced them to obedience to his laws by the strength of his own hand ; yet the king's hand is no bigger in bulk and bigness than another man's hand is : also I said, that 241 I that am but a mortal man, have power over such a great God, whose hand is so big ; for, said I, that God, whose hand is much bigger than thy hand or mine, I have power over to condemn. This was passed by, and no reply from them. 2. Whitehead said, he did hear one say that I had damned, that I should say I was as glad I had given judgement and sentence of damnation upon him, as if one had given me forty shillings. This I did acknowledge to be true, for I have said so by several desperate devils, and I am justified in the sight of God, and in my own conscience, for so doing. 3. Whitehead said, that he did hear that I had cursed a man, and he changing his apparel, came afterwards, and did procure a blessing ; and that this man, or some other, did smite or knock a pewter-pot upon or over my head. This I said was a lie, and false, for never did any man strike me over the head with a pot in all my life ; and as for that report which Pope, that damned devil, in saying he was blest after he was curst, it is a false report, and a lie, that he hath reported several times amongst ranters and Quakers ; for this Pope was a ranter when he was curst, which is about fifteen years ago, and is a worse ranter now than he was then, and that you Quakers know very well what a wicked piece he is, and the wicked lustful life he liveth now in ; yet you Quakers will rather believe this damned devil, and wicked lustful person, than believe me, who have been kept innocent from the breach of any law, from my childhood to this day ; but I know you Quakers, being of the same nature and seed of the serpent, as those Jews were in Christ's time, who desired of Pilate, that a thief and 2H 242 a murderer should be delivered from death, rather than Jesus, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world : so it is with you Quakers, you had rather belive this wicked lustful devil Pope, who hath from his youth, till now, had sin and wicked- ness reigning as lord and king in his mortal body : I say, you had rather believe him, even this notable sinner, than to believe me, who am the Prophet of the most high God, the man Christ Jesus in glory, and have power given of God, as Moses had, to set life and death before you ; but I know you will say in the thoughts of your hearts, though not in words as those Jews did by Christ, away with Muggleton, let us have Pope, that wicked lustful man, that we might hear and inquire of him. 4. Whitehead espied a knot of ribbon upon the sleeve of my coat, and said, Why doest thou wear this vanity ? Also I said to Whitehead, why doest thou wear silk buttons upon both thy coats ? He said they were necessary ; and I said no, he might wear hooks and eyes, or ilet-holes ; so that was past by. Again, I did say I did wear ribbons on purpose that I might not be taken or thought to be a Quaker, for I do hate the Quakers' principles ; with that Whitehead said, that thou hatest all righteous- ness, and spake as if himself and Cole were writing against me, in answer to mine against George Fox, and some other things or words they had catched from me in discourse to make me manifest : also one ugly flighting word did Whitehead speak against the personal God, which I do own, that he would trample him and me under his feet as dirt, with some other words of flighting and undervaluing my power ; whereupon I did pronounce George Whitehead cursed 243 and damned, in soul and body, to eternity : also I said his God within him is cursed, and that God he believed or trusted in without him was damned with him, and so ceased discourse with him. 5. When Cole had heard me speak thus unto AVhitehead he was stiil, till I had ended with White- head, but I saw his eyes dazzle, and his spirit work- ing within him, so immediately after he uttered these words, or such like: saith he, I have heard of seve- ral thou hast cursed, but, said he, I did not believe, had I not heard and seen, that a man could have spoken so presumptuously. Then said I unto him, dare you say that I have spoken presumptuously ? He said, he did believe it was presumption; then said I, on the contrary, I do believe thou art the seed of the serpent, and wilt be damned; and now see whose faith will be strongest, yours or mine; for my faith shall keep you down or under for ever. Under what ? Said he. I said, under eternal damnation. Then said he, doest thou ground thy sentence upon my belief ? I said yea I do, for you believe that I spake pre- sumptuously, and I do believe you to be the seed of the serpent, and will be damned to eternity. Then said he, doest thou judge this to be a sentence upon me ? Yea, said I, what should it be else ? Then Cole rose up with a zeal for his God within him, and said, I told thee before that I would try thee and thy God, saying, they were setting forth a writ- ing against me ; and withal, Cole pronounced many curses upon me, with his eyes full of dazzled babies in them ; an/1 Whitehead, he came with great threatening of judgements upon me, they being ^oth so full of curses together, that I can hardly tell what they said, their curses were so many and so 2 112 244 various, so that I could not tell which curse of them both did most concern me to take notice of, only one passage I do remember Cole said, that I should sink in the pit of darkness, and such like words ; he used the word darkness many times, but their words were both together, so that their words took no place in me, no not so much as to remember what they said ; but I perceive Cole's curses were much like unto Thomas Loe's curses in his letter to me. Many words more there was between us at that time, but these are the words and passages of most concernment at that time, and of a final judgement and sentence of eternal damnation, that I gave that day upon Josias Cole and George Whitehead, speakers of the Quakers. This I do discern and observe in these two men, first, that Josias Cole is of the Spirit of the Sad' ducees, and more fit to tempt, being more moderate in his words than the other was ; for that devil that tempted Christ, spoken of Matthew, Chapter iv. was a Sadducee, yea a wise and prudent man, whose wisdom of reason is more qualified with moderation in discourse than the Pharisee is, so more fit to tempt than the Pharisee is ; so I know that devil that tempted Christ was a man that was a Sadducee in his spirit, whatever he pretended to the rulers of the Jews, therefore more fit to propound questions to Christ than the Pharisees were ; likewise I do know that Josias Cole sprang from that Sadducee that tempted Christ, and so was the more fit to tempt me, and I did like his spirit of moderation well, and was not offended at his temptations nor his questions until he called that presumption I said unto White- head. Also this I know, that George Whitehead, Quaker, is one of those Pharisees' spirits that came to catch and entrap in his words, for it is the nature of the spirit of the Pharisee to watch and catch at words, whereby they may accuse or entrap them they talk with. This did the Pharisees to Christ, which made him call them serpents devils, yea, and that the devil was their father, because the Pharisee spirit is more secretly proud and mysterious than theSadducee, which is the fittest devil to tempt ; and Christ pronounced woes more earnestly upon the Pharisees than he did upon the Sadducees, or upon that devil that tempted him in the fourth of Matthew abovesaid ; so it was with me, I was more offended at George Whitehead's pharisaical spirit, whose property was only to quibble and to catch at words, to turn the plain truth to another sense ; for when a principle of truth is laid down infallibly, and plain Scripture words, that will not admit of inno- vation, then this Pharisee would neither affirm against it, nor deny it ; but let it fall, and to another thing : Whitehead is of a worse spirit than his fore- fathers the Pharisees in Christ's time, for they con- fessed they could not tell ; but this Pharisee White- head, he would not say that he could not tell, but thought in his heart that he knew more than I did, therefore would neither affirm against those things I asserted or denied ; but I know his eyes are blinded, his ears deaf, and his heart hardened, so that no true light of life might enter into him, lest he should have believed the declarations of the true God and the right devil, by the last true messenger of God, and have been converted and saved. Also this I say, that had Whitehead asked me, as Cole did several times, whether I did discern him to be the seed of the serpent, but I would not tell while I saw further, 246 but I would have told him I did, for I always hated the proud pharisaical spirit, who was as full of con- ceited knowledge of a Christ within him as his skin could hold, it was even ready to crack with that con- ceited light of a bodiless Christ within him ; but a little time, ?nd his Christ within him will be emptied out of him, as it is with Thomas Loe, and several others of the Quakers that are under the judgement and sentence of this commission of the Spirit ; and where or whensoever this writing is read, it is re- corded, that Josiab Cole and George Whitehead, two speakers of the Quakers, were at this time, and in the discourse aforesaid, judged and condemned, both soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. By me, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the two last Witnesses and Prophets unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jesus, in Glory. Thomas Loe, speaker of the Quakers, sent a blasphemous and cursed, envious, cursed letter unto me, dated the 16th of September, (which he calls the seventh month) 1668 ; and I sent him the sentence of eternal damnation by the bearer the same day in writing. Also the bearer is a Quaker that brought Loe's letter, and is damned also. But people may' see how soon this devil Loe was cut off this earth after that railing blasphemous letter, and gives no reason for what, but heaps up many curses, threatenings of judgements, and hellish ex- pressions and high blasphemy against the Holy 247 Ghost, or true God that sent me, so that I could do no less but give judgement and sentence of eternal damnation upon him ; also the Quaker aforesaid was not willing to go without Loe's sentence, but Loe was cut off suddenly after. He was buried the 6th of October, 1668. But I know the Quakers do not think the judge- ment of God, nor my sentence, was upon him, or over him, for his blasphemy, but they say he had been in a consumption fifteen years, and came lately out of Ireland. Very likely it may be so; but sure if he had been sick when he wrote those lines to me, it shewed not weakness of nature in him, nor weak- ness of body ; but it may be his spirit was so en- flamed with the fire of hell in zeal for his God, or Christ within him, that he felt no weakness of body at that time ; for his wrath was great and hot against me, as his letter doth shew ; but you Quakers do believe that Loe's soul is not dead, but slipped out of his body, and gone you know not where, and into a power and spirit you know not what ; but I say his soul is where you laid his body ; they both came into this world together ; they both despised the truth together; they both received judgment and condemnation together, and both died together, and were both soul and body buried together, and shall both rise again, every seed its own body ; that seed of reason, which was his life, which he thought was the divine nature of God, but it was the nature 01 the devil or serpent, and that law written in his heart, he and you Quakers call the light of Christ, or Christ in you, which is nothing in you else but the law written in your hearts, your thoughts ac- cusing and excusing ; and when God shall raise him again, that seed of reason shall rise and bring a 248 spiritual dark body with it, and that law, which was written in his and your hearts here in this life, shall quicken anew in that new, dark, spiritual body ; and then shall he, and you despisers of a per- sonal God, know, that your own souls, which you thought was the life of God, but it was the life of the devil, ye devils yourselves, and that law written in your hearts, which you called here in this life the light of Christ ; but when this law doth quicken again, as I said before, it will prove the only and alone devil to torment you to eternity. These things may seem strange sayings, and as a riddle unto you, and a thing impossible ; but with God all things are possible which his own will moved him unto. And this I say, as it was possible for God to write the law in the angels natures, and by his secret determinations suffer one of those angels to become very man ; and so the angels seed having the law written in it before God made Adam, and so by generation the law comes to be written in every man's heart, man finds it there accusing, but knows not how it came written there. So it is as strange for you Quakers to believe that God will raise your souls, that were dead, again ; and not only so, but the law shall quicken in you again ; for as the law is strictly written in your hearts, but ignorantly written in the reprobate angel, so by God's secret decree and power he will revive that law again in the reprobate seed of reason, as in Loe, and many of you speakers of the Quakers, and others of your brethren who are under the judgment and sentence of this commission of the Spirit, shall find my words to be true upon you and over you to eternity ; neither shall you be delivered from it. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. 24!-) A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. William Hall, in the Year 1668, concerning his Marriage. JJear Brother, I RECEIVED your letter, and I am troubled to hear of your trouble, and am perplexed in my mind to hear how you are perplexed, and that with- out a cause, about one that will love you whether you will or no ; but, dear brother, I would not have you, through your weakness in judgment, and igno- rance in experience, I would not have a good nature and an innocent mind enthralled and entangled, and bind itself with such cords that cannot be untied again, nor broken, but are as chains of iron ; and seeing your mind is free, and you have no guilt upon your spirits in this matter, do not bring guilt upon your mind, through your weaknesses of judg- ment and want of experience, for I perceive you have broke no law to bring guilt upon your mind not in this matter ; for if you keep yourself whole in these three things, the law of God, the law of con- science, and the law of the land, you need not be troubled in this business in the least of love ; let it happen how it will, keep your conscience innocent in these three laws, and no guilt can be upon you in this matter; and for your better satisfaction, I shall it open these three laws. The law of God is this : that if you shall covenant and promise, as in the presence of God, to take this maid to wife, none seeing or hearing; but yourselves, then perform your 2 I vow as unto God. The law of the conscience is like unto it; if ye have in secret, between she and you, made any profession of love to her in that kind, to draw her affections unto you, or asked her whether she could love you in that kind, to draw her affec- tions unto you, or asked her whether she could love you in that kind, or made her any promise or en- gagement to her in secret, which none heard or knew but yourselves ; if not, your conscience is free from guilt or trouble in this business. And as for the law of the land ; if you have promised before witnesses to have her to wife, yet if the maid be not there present to hear that promise, it signifies nothing, let witnesses witness what they will ; except the maid be in the hearing of it, it signifies nothing. Now I am persuaded that you are innocent in all these laws, .therefore why should you bring yourself into bond- age to that you cannot love or fancy ; if her love be so great to you, that she must do herself a mischief if she cannot have you to her husband, let the evil be upon her own head, she hath brought it upon herself, and would you cast yourself into hell, to marry one you cannot love, to raise her up into heaven ? And whereas you pity her for the trouble and earnest affection to you for a husband ; dear brother, be not more pitiful to relieve her troubled spirit, than to pity your own troubled spirit ; such tragedies as these hath been acted upon the stage of this world before now ; for if wives will force men to love them whether they will or no, it is not true love, neither are you bound to gratify that flame of desire; for it seemeth this act of hers, to savour more of boldness and impudence than of true love, to force love out of a man whether he will or no, or else she must die, or make away ourselves, this is 251 but to put your tender nature into a fright, thinking to fright you to be her husband, lest she should do herself some hurt ; but so as she can but obtain her desires, she cares not which way. Do not you be- lieve that she doth this of herself, but as she is in- structed by her mother, or some other friend, even as the damsel was that danced before Herod the King ;: the damsel knew not what to ask of the King, but went to her mother, and was instructed by her mother to ask the head of John Baptist ; it was a woeful demand to John, and to Herod the King too, but for his oath-sake he must do it to his own ruin. Your case is something like it, for doubtless the maid is instructed to ask the body of you for her husband, and then the estate they know will follow ; so the maid get you, they care not what trouble of mind you suffer afterwards, wherefore do not wound your spirit where your gave no cause; if any will take offence, because you will not satisfy their desire, let the woe be to them that take the offence ; for, first, they have made your passive nature the cause of offence, and except you will yield to their desires, they will take offence at you, and make you the cause of their trouble ; but my advice is, that you will be steadfast in your own mind, and resolve to keep the integrity of your mind, and the preserva- tion of your own peace ; let what will be the effect, your condition will be safe ; and seeing you are in this streight at present about a wife, having so many proffers, I would resolve to have none at all, nor engage myself at all to any at present. What if you stay a year or two longer, you are young enough, it will do as well, and your peace of mind will be preserved better ; and who knoweth how Provi- dence may order things in a little time, for a patient 212 252 contented mind is more worth than riches, it maketh every condition a man is in to be comfortable. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodozvicke Muggleton, to Mr. Edward Delamain, a Baptist Preacher, living in MarHjorough, bearing date the 16th of June, 1668. Edward Delanwin, I SAW a letter of yours, very large, sent to your brother Alexander Delamain, wherein I have found in it many passages so blasphemous against the Holy Spirit, which sheweth plainly unto me that you are of the seed of the serpent, and ap- pointed to be damned to eternity. And this I must tell you, when I spake with you I knew you were of the seed of the serpent, and appointed to be damned ; yet I seeing you did not despise any thing I said, I let you alone, though I knew you well enough : your eyes were blinded, and your ears deaf, and your heart hardened ; so that no light of heaven might shine into your heart : but if you would have spoken but one word to my face, as you did in your letter to your brother, you should have been damned then as your brother Noble was, who was the Baptist preacher ; it would have saved you a great deal of pains in writing those large letters to your brother, and your brother to you ; for I said to him in his first letter he wrote to you, after 253 you went away, that it would be good for him to send you the sentence of damnation then.; but your brother having more mercy towards you (you being of so near relation to him) than God, or any of his messengers had; so did write to you again, though it was but to cast stones against the wind ; for there is no more possibility to convert you to the truth, than for him to reach up to the stars with his hand ; for you are blinded and hardened as all reprobates are, who are conceited they know more by reading the letters of the Scriptures than any man's revela- tion, though it be the revelation of God himself. I shall name some of those wicked passages in your letter. Asjirst, you look upon the letter of the Scriptures to be the lively oracles of God, to speak unto you in these days, and that you ought to give as great and real credit to them as if God had visibly spoken to you. Answer. The seed of the serpent is as well con- tented with the dead letter of the Scriptures, and better than they are with the spirit and life of the Scriptures ; for they that spake the Scriptures, their words were spirit and life to those that be- lieved them, and spirit and death to the reprobate seed ; but the dead letter of the Scriptures is a lively oracle to the seed of the serpent, because they can give what sense they please, saying ; I con- ceive this is the meaning, and the letter answereth not a word again : this pleases the seed of the serpent, because the letter lets them conceive what they will of it, and so it becomes a lively oracle to the reprobate's mind, because it cannot speak, now the men are dead that spake it. Stcondly. You say the Scriptures were written in 254 past times, and in present time, for the teaching and learning of those that should come in after time. Answer. The Scriptures were written in past times for the teaching and learning of the seed of faith ; but they were not written at all for the teaching and learning of the seed of the serpent, such as you are ; neither doth the letter of the Scriptures teach or learn any man the way to heaven, by any spiritual knowledge, without a true interpreter, which I know there is none at this day, but us the witnesses of the Spirit only : but who so zealous for the dead letter of the Scriptures, as the seed of the serpent is ? Thirdly. You note the words of Peter, shewing, that he and others saw the glory of God's Majesty, and were eye witnesses of it, as in the second epistle of Peter, chap. 1. Peter, say you, was eye witness, and heard the voice of God himself, as much, if not more, than John Reeve, or any man can pretend to : yet, say you, he would not have the Christians pin their faith upon his revelation, or single voice of God. Answer. How can you, being the reprobate seed, tell that God spake to Peter more than to John Reeve ? And how can you tell that Peter and others saw the glory of God, and were witnesses more than John Reeve ? John Reeve did see the glory of God, and God spake to John Reeve more than he did to Peter and Paul either. This John Reeve hath de- clared, and there is more ground to believe John Reeve than Peter; because John Reeve did justify the things a few years ago, and many now are living that heard him, and have the witness in themselves, that his voice was a true voice ; but as for that of Peter, there is none now living that heard him speak as they did John Reeve ; yet the seed of the serpent honeureth the words of Peter, now he is dead many 255 hundred years, and all that saw Peter and believed him are dead many generations past since; but the reprobate's faith is very strong in dead mens words ; but when they were alive they were counted by the seed of the serpent deceivers and liars, as we are counted. And this I say, whoever did believe Peter's voice of God, and his commission to bind and loose mens sins, they did pin their faith upon his sleeve, that is, upon his commission and doctrine. Fourthly. You say the Scriptures are more sure, and safer to be heeded and minded, than any revela- tion or vision of any man whatsoever. Answer. Do you not shew your blindness and darkness in this thing ? Did the apostles, when they came with their revelations and visions, count the writings of Moses and the prophets to be more heeded and safer than theirs ? Why did they then upbraid the Jews for putting their trust in Moses, and the worship of the law ? For the Jews despised the Revelation of Christ and his apostles, calling it new doctrine, saying, they were drunken with new wine, because their revelation was new to the Jews, be- cause they declared a new doctrine and new wor- ship, contrary to the old doctrine and old worship of Moses, and the prophets ; even as the rulers said to the man that Christ opened his eyes that was born blind, when he asked them, saying; will ye be Christ's disciples ? They said, no ; they were Moses's disciples. Here the serpent gave more heed to the Scriptures of Moses, and the prophets, they being all dead, than they did to any revelation or vision of Christ and his apostles, when they were living. And those devils thought it more safe to put their trust in dead mens' revelations, than in any man's reve- lation living whatsoever. So it is with you, being the 25G seed of the serpent, you look upon it to be more sure, and safer for you to depend upon the dead letter of the Scriptures for life and salvation, than upon any revelation, or vision, or voice, this com- mission of the Spirit hath declared : but you shall find it more unsafe for your soul, in that you did put vour trust in the letter of the Scriptures, and reject the revelation of the Spirit ; for the letter of the Scriptures shall do you no good, neither shall you find any comfort by them ; but they shall rather be your torment, because you did not hearken to man's revelation and interpretation of Scriptures, that is now living. Fifthly. You say, you would have your brother to speak as Timothy did, boldly, from God's word, and not (say you) from supposed commissions, as you imagine. Answer. Your brother doth speak boldly from God's word, as Timothy did, because he spake in the faith of a commission, and knows that this com- mission is the word of God, as much or more, than that word of God as Timothy spoke ; because Timothy was chosen a bishop by men, and sent forth to preach the word of God by men, at the second hand : but John Reeve and myself were chosen by God himself, to be his two last prophets and wit- nesses, to preach the word of God ; and as many as truly believe us shall certainly be saved, as those were that believed in Christ himself, when upon earth : also, we have power to ordain such as Timothy was, to speak the word of God boldly as he did, being ordained by the apostles, who were greater in power than Timothy was ; so that your be- lieving in Timothy's words now will do you no good ; but those that did truly believe Timothy's words 257 when that commission was in being, should have been saved by it, but now it will profit you nothing ; for it is but a dead letter unto you now : and do you not paint the sepulchre of Timothy now, as the Jews did the sepulchres of the prophets ? They spake well of the prophets, when they were dead, and honoured them ; so the Baptists speak well of Timothy, and honour his words now he is dead : but if you had heard him speak as you did me, you would have counted it more safe to have believed Moses than Timothy ; for the seed of the serpent always counts it a more safe thing to put their trust in dead mens words, than in those men that are alive. And those words your brother sent you ought to have been believed by you as much as the words of Timothy, they would have done you far more good than the words of Timothy will. Sixthly. You al ledge Paul's words, Galat. i. ver. 8. where he saith, Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any ether doctrine, or gospel unto thee, than that which we have preached unto you, let them be accursed. Answer. I can as truly say so as St. Paul doth, that if any angel from heaven should come and preach any other doctrine than that which we, John Reeve and myself, have preached, I will not say as Paul saith, Let him be accursed ; but I say, we have power ourselves to curse angels or men to eternity, that shall dare to say we are liars, deceivers, or that the doctrine we preach is false : so that the power of this commission of the Spirit is greater in spiritual matters than that which Paul speakethof; so that the Gospel of Paul, and others, preached at that time, will do you no good. It was life and salvation to those that believed Paul at that time ; but what is that to you Baptist-preachers ? Now, that which 2 K 2.58 Paul preached will signify no benefit to you now, but rather do you more hurt; because you take -upon you to preach as those vagabond Jews, the same Jesus that Paul preached, having no commis- sion to preach from God so to do ; for you should have barkened unto me, who make all unclean spirits subject unto me, as they were unto Paul : but the evil spirit in others, and the unclean spirit of reason in yourself, shall leap upon you, and rent, tear, and wound your soul to eternity, for preaching the words of Paul and of Christ, you being not sent of him. Seventhly. You quote the words of John, 2 Epist. ver. 10. He saith, If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not, nor bid him God- speed. Answer. Do you, the preacher of the Baptists, bring that doctrine as John the apostle brought? If you do, it is either under your arm, or in your pocket, in a Bible bound together that you bring ; for you never knew that doctrine that John brough at that time, when he was alive ; there is none knoweth that doctrine that John brought and taught the people at that time, but us the witnesses of the Spirit, and them to whom we have revealed it ; neither need the believers of this commission of the Spirit bid any of you, the seed of the serpent, God- speed ; for none of you know the doctrine of the true God, nor the right devil : but I know the Bap- tist-preachers will carry John's doctrine, the Bible, in your pockets, as aforesaid, and receive in it the notion of your brains, but I know you never did, nor ever will receive it in your hearts. Eighthly. You say, verily brother, the great cause 'ors, and delusions, and strong impostures, ariseth lighting the Scriptures. 259 Answer. How can you, being the seed of the serpent, come to error and delusion, and never was in truth ? Do you think reading the Scriptures will give you to know what error and delusion is, whereas you were always in the darkness and blindness of your mind; and truth was appointed to shut your eyes, and harden your heart, and make your ears deaf, lest you should see, hear, and understand truth, and be converted and healed ? This power hath God given unto me, to shut your eyes, make your ears heavy, and your heart fat, that your conceited knowledge of the letter of the Scriptures ; so that you might not be converted and healed by this commission of the Spirit; so that your owning of the letter, and not adhering to the interpretation given by us, the Witnesses of the Spirit ; for none knoweth the Scriptures truly but us^ and this is the grand cause that you and others have fallen into such great errors, and strong delusions, be- cause you slight the interpretation of the Scriptures, which I have given, and so have sinned against the Holy Ghost. This is the effect of your faith you have in the letter of the Scriptures ; this will prove a great error and delusion indeed to you, and high imposture hath risen in you, in that you slighted your brother's advertisement in his letters to you, requiring you to lay down your preaching from the letter of the Scriptures, you having no commission from God so to do. Ninthly. You say, your brother doth abuse the Scriptures, to call it a dead letter: take heed, say you, brother, you are not cheated of that reason God hath given you. Answer. Why ! Is it not a dead letter ? Doth it speak any thing at all to you ? If the Scriptures* were not a dead letter, such serpents as you would 2K3 2CO not love it, but would hate it as those did when the Scriptures were alive; for when commissionated men spake the Scriptures, and declared their revelation, they were inspired with the Spirit, they were then alive, and their words were spirit and life to those that believed ; but you that are the pretended preachers of Scriptures now, are ministers of the dead letter ; for there is no saving knowledge, nor spirit, nor life, in any of yours : nay, there is not one of you preachers that will be saved, for you do abuse the letter of the Scriptures, in that you make a trade of other mens words : and you will conceive what pro- phets, and apostles, and the words of Christ mean, and have no infallible spirit, nor gift of interpretation of Scriptures ; for none can interpret Scripture but such as have the same spirit as spake them, which, I am sure, you have not, therefore the Scriptures will prove a dead letter to you indeed : and it is a great abuse unto God for you to take the Scriptures in any other sense, but as a dead letter ; for it will prove a killing letter unto you, even unto death eter- nal. And as for your brother being cheated of his reason, it is happy for him that ever he was born, that he was cheated of his reason in spiritual things ; but you shall never be cheated of your reason, neither in things spiritual, nor in things temporal ; for the reason you so highly esteem shall be the only devil that shall torment you, both here and hereafter. Tenthly. Your brother saith, there is no other spi- ritual God or Father, but only within the blessed body of the Man Christ Jesus glorified. This you deny, and say it is utterly false, and con- trary to the whole Scripture. Also, you say, your brother's distinction of Christ's being Father, Son, and Spirit, is full of contradiction, and in plain terms 261 say, it is a piece of nonsense, as you say you can make it appear by Holy Writ. Answer. That there is no other spiritual God, Creator, or Father, but only in the blessed body of the Man Christ Jesus glorified. That is as true as truth itself, and I have abundantly proved that by Scriptures, in my other writings, as in the Inter- pretation of the llth Chapter of the Revelations, and the whole Revelations ; but what should I say to blind men of interpretations of Scriptures ? For there is light and life in the true interpretations of the Scripture to the seed of faith : but give the seed of reason, or the serpent, the dead letter without, the interpretation, that he may conceive what meaning he pleases, and not be contradicted ; for the letter of the Scriptures is the prophets and the apostles dead bodies, as I have clearly opened in the Eleventh of the Revelations : for your preachers do like unto the doctors of physic, they get the bodies of men and women opened when they are dead ; but when they are alive, they dare not do it, to learn expe- rience by their dead bodies, to cure diseases, as they think the better : so likewise it is with you that preach without a commission from God ; you open the dead bodies of the prophets and apostles, that is, their letter of the Scriptures, to see if you could find the cause of life and salvation there ; by their dead bodies you learn experience and knowledge, to prat- tle and talk of life and salvation, by the doctrines of Christ ; but know nothing but what you pick out of the letter of the Scriptures, even as the doctors of physic do out of the dead bodies they open ; for when those men were alive that spake the Scriptures, you durst not take upon you to say, this is the meaning of Paul, and I conceive this is the sense of Peter's 2C2 words ; for when John said, speaking of Christ Jesus, that he was the first, and the last ; that he was dead, and is alive ; and behold he is alive for evermore, as you find in the Revelations. And likewise John say- ing, This is the true God, and eternal Life; durst you have denied these words of John if he had been now alive ? And dare you say his words are utterly false, and contrary to the other apostles words ? But you know there is neither one apostle, nor other, that can reply unto you again, that makes you so confident as you are ; but I would have you to know that God hath chosen me in their steads, to give judgment upon you, and the letter of the Scriptures you put your trust in shall not deliver you from it ; and that distinction your brother giveth of Father, Son, and Spirit, is true, and as good sense as men can speak : and what you deny in plain terms and words will be a seal of eternal damnation to your own soul. Eleventhly. You call all the talk of the commission of the Spirit to be a mere whimsey of the brain, and you say, no less than mere delusion ; and you say will prove so in the end, as true as God is in heaven. Answer. Here you have shewed yourself of the re- probate seed ; and that you have sinned against the Holy Ghost, as most of you Baptists do ; a sin that God will not forgive in this world, nor in the world to come : and as sure as God is in heaven, you are appointed to be damned to eternity. This I know as sure as God is in heaven. Twelfthly. You say your brother pleaseth himself with the face of a God, being in a form, and gives credit to no man that is rotten in his grave, and will not believe (say you) the living oracle, that says, he 263 is a spirit. And (say you) let your brother take God's form, but give you his power. Answer. As for your brother's pleasing himself with the face of a God being in a form, to this I say, a man can have no true satisfaction in his mind, except he really believes God hath a face and form of his own, distinct from man and all other creatures. And for your brother's giving credit to a man that is rotten in his grave, your brother could not have had the as- surance of eternal life in himself, but by giving credit to that man's words : but what think you ? Are not the prophets and apostles rotten in their graves, many hundred years ago, and none living that ever saw them, or heard their voices. How comes it to pass you gave credit to their words, that were rotten so many hundred years ago ? And you blame your brother for giving credit to a prophet of the Lord, who is yet in the sight and memory of many ; for while I live, John Reeve liveth, and we are true as ever prophet and apostle were, and ought to be credited as they were. And as for the believing the living oracles, that say God is a Spirit, the Scriptures you mean to be the living oracles To this I say, the Scriptures do prove three places to one, that God has a form, and hath a face, to one place where he is called a spirit. And the writings of us, the Witnesses of the Spirit, are more living oracles than the letter of the Scriptures, and will give more peace and satisfaction to the souls of those that believe them, than the belief of the Scriptures will, now the prophets and apostles have been dead so many hundred years.; fo This many can experience, and witness in them- selves, at this day ; neither can any have the power of God but such as know the form and nature of 264 God, which you, nor no man else can know, but such as believe the living oracles declared by us the wit- nesses of the Spirit. Thirteenthly . You say, that Peter, nor Paul, or any other mortal whatsoever, hath power to save, or damn to eternity : this is a work (say you) peculiar only to God, the Judge of all. Also, you marvel how many men dare to read otherwise than God speaks, or to put interpretation of their own brains. Answer. That mortal men have power to pronounce the sentence of eternal damnation and salvation upon men and women, that is clear by the Scriptures : And it doth belong unto men, and not unto God himself ; for God hath chosen men to be judges, to condemn men, or acquit men, according as they are found guilty or innocent by the law ; but the king leaves it to the judges, and doth not meddle with it himself: so it is with the King of Heaven, he gives power and commission to his prophets and apostles, and the witnesses of the Spirit, to judge and determine of people's eternal weal, or woe : and those keys of heaven and hell, that Christ gave unto Peter, was power to bless and curse to eternity ; for whose sins he did remit, they were forgiven to eternity, and whose sins he did remit, eternal salvation did come upon that man : so on the contrary, whose sins Peter did retain, that man's sins were never forgiven of God, being retained by Peter ; so that eternal dam- nation is passed upon that man whose sins are retained, and God will not revoke what his judge hath done ; and this power God hath given unto us, the witnesses of the Spirit : but if you had read the book called the Quaker's Neck Broken, you would have seen this point more largely proved ; but I per- ceive you are ignorant of all things pertaining to 265 salvation and damnation, but what the letter of the Scriptures dictates to your understanding and imagination : but we that are chosen judges of God are to read the Scriptures thus, and to give inter- pretation, according to the tenor of our commission ; for the Scripture is given into mine hand, and no man knows the Scriptures truly but myself; because God hath given me understanding of his mind in the Scrip- tures above all men in the world, and he hath made me judge of the Scriptures. Therefore what inter- pretation or sense soever you gather from the word of the Scriptures, I say it is but the imagination of your own brains. Fourteenthly . You say nothing hinders mens salva- tion but their own wills : also, you say, there is no such thing as a doctrine of reprobation, whereby men are destined to destruction. Answer. How comes it to pass then, that your free- will did not preserve yourself from being damned to eternity ? It seems you had not power in your will to keep you from the sin against the Holy Ghost ; if you had had power in your will, you would have believed your brother and me, when you saw your brother Noble damned by me : how comes it to pass your will did not submit, and be silent? You saw the trouble that Noble was in at the present ; yet your will had not power to keep yourself from the same condemnation ; but have you not read, that God hath blinded the eyes, and made the ears heavy, and the heart of man hard, lest they should see, hear, understand, and be converted ? Why did not the will of those men convert themselves ? The cause why, they were hardened of God : and why were they hardened of God > Because they were of the reprobate seed, even the seed of the serpent ; so it is 2 L 200 with you, God hath blinded your eyes, because you are of the reprobate seed, the seed of the serpent, hated of God, as Esau was. and your brother Alex- ander beloved of God, as Jacob was. Here is the doctrine of election and reprobation manifest in you two; the one is taken, and the other left, by this commission of the Spirit. And do you not find in the Scriptures no such doctrine of election and repro- ibation? You may find and read it in the Romans very frequently spoken of; and had not you been of the reprobate seed, appointed to suffer those eternal torments, you would not have been so blind and .hardened, but have believed, and have submitted to God's prerogative power ; but the reprobate seed thinks to be saved by his own will, whether God will or no ; but you being destinated to destruction, hath ^caused you to write against it. Fifteenthly. You say, one would think no man in his right wits should be so far deprived of his reason, as to admit of this fora ground to embrace the single, bare testimony of two men, whereof one hath been dead some years, and have but their bare words, that God spake to them, and heard his voice ; and such a commsision strikes at the foundation and knowledge of the Scriptures, and the root of all religion and worship, at the very bottom of holiness and godliness, and also strikes at the very majesty of God himself: so you count your brother given over to strong delu- sions, to believe lies, because the Scriptures say, In the latter days men shall be given over to believe lies, and the devices of their own brains. Answer. Had you been in your right wits, you would have made the single testimony of two men the only ground of salvation : but you being out of your wits, being blinded and hardened, you have embraced 267 dead inens testimonies for the ground of your faith r men that have been dead many hundred years; so that your faith in those mens words will do you no good now : and it would have been as good for you if you had been deprived of your reason, as you think your brother is ; for the reason in you is the devil, that shall torment to eternity, and good would it have been for you if you had been deprived of it : a little measure of faith to put your trust in the decla- ration of two single men, whereof one i& now living, would have wrought the work of salvation in you, and have deprived you of reason, which reason now will torment you, because you are not deprived of it, but is wholly guided by it ; and so your trust must be altogether in the dead letter of the Scriptures, and in dead mens words, and you shall find nothing there for your soul but bare words; for there is no spirit and life in them, except you had hearkened and be- lieved the single testimony of two men ; those that do so, the interpretation of the Scriptures becomes life and spirit unto their souls : also, 1 confess the tes- timony of us two single men doth strike at the foun- dation of all hypocritical knowledge of the Scriptures, and at the root of all religion and worship, of all the formal worship of the Baptists and others, and at the very bottom of your hypocritical holiness and seeming godliness. This commission of the Spirit strikes at the very hypocritical majesty that you hypocrites seem to give unto God ; for now is the axe laid to the root of that tree ; it strikes to the root of all know- ledge, wisdom, religion, worship, hypocritical holi- ness and godliness, that is practised in all the seven churches, as shewing, that the ministry of them all is false, none having a commission from God to preach* so that God hath by our hands given the axe, and we f Li 268 have laid it to the root of the tree, and have cut down many of your preachers, and spoiled all your holiness and godliness, as dung and dross ; neither shall your holiness, nor godliness, nor righteousness, avail you any thing, in that you are given over to a strong delusion, to put your trust in dead mens words, and hath despised the true interpretation of the Scrip- tures, which are alive ; so that you followed the de- sires of your own brains to your endless misery. Sixteenthly. You say to your brother, that God is everlasting and eternal God, and hath no beginning, nor will have no ending : but (say you) this their commission of the Spirit tells us of a God that no man knows in all the world but two men, and that no other can know the true God but those that be- lieve in those two men ; but, say you, what this new- broached light will come to, you will at present for- bear judging, but leave it to the hands of the God of prophets and apostles. Answer. As to that we own, that God is everlasting and eternal, and had no beginning, nor hath no end- ing : and this is the same God this third and last commission tells you of, only there is no man in the world, at this day, that doth truly know this ever- lasting God, but us two, who are the chosen witnesses of this everlasting God, that knows him, and those to whom we reveal it; neither can any other man know the true God but those that believe in us two men. Nay, farther, 1 say, as Christ did in another case, concerning himself : Except^ saith Christ, you believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins : so likewise I say, except you or any other do believe in our doctrine of the true God, and us two men, to be the last chosen witnesses and prophets of God, I say you shall all die in your sins, that is, in unbelief, and so damned to 269 eternity ; for this I must tell you, that whoever dies in unbelief, that hath heard the sound of a true pro- phet's words or writings, and believes them not, he dies in his sins of unbelief, and all sins else that he hath committed ; so that he is cleansed from no sin at all, and what will follow upon that, that conscience that dies in his sins, let every man's conscience judge. But whosoever believeth in a true prophet's report and doctrine, his heart is purified by faith in himself, and doth not die in his sins, but is cleansed from the guilt and condemnation in his conscience of all sins, both original and actual, though the reason of man being the seed, counts the very act of faith that giveth peace to man's mind, they count the greatest sin of all : but great is the power of faith, and strong; but low is the power of reason, and weak. And as for this new- broached light, as you call it, I say it was new-broached by the God of heaven himself; and this light declared by us trie witnesses of the Spirit, will come to centre itself in God, from whence it came, as the light of prophets and apostles did, who were sent of God, as those two men were whom you so much slight; and it would have been well for you if you had forborn judging, and left it to the hands of the God of prophets and apostles : but your reason hath undertook, by the dead letter of the Scriptures, to judge the greatest light that ever God sent upon earth, and of a more higher nature than that of the prophets and apostles; but the light of heaven was ever slighted by the seed of the serpent, their hearts being darkened by the letter of the Scrip- tures, you have presumed to fight against the light of this commission of the Spirit, which God hath com- mitted to two men, and you have judged it, and have 270 not left judgment to God. These things aforesaid are the most considerable passages in youF large letter to your brother Alexander, and the very quintessence of your knowledge in the letter of the Scriptures, wherein you have taken up dead mens words, to fight with a man that is alive ; you do as if a man should take the sheath of a sword in his hand, to fight with him that hath a glittering sword in his hand, with two edges, which cuts every way ; for the letter of the Scriptures is but the sheath for the two-edged sword of the Spirit to be in : and God hath drawn forth this glittering sword with two edges, out of the letter of the Scriptures, and hath put it into two single men's mouths, and hath given us power to bless and curse to eternity : so that it doth not peculiarly belong to God but unto man ; and had you believed in me, you should have believed God that sent me ; but in that you have despised that two men should know more of God than all men in the world, you have despised God also, and have sinned against the Holy Ghost, and God hath made me your judge in his stead. The blasphemies you have spoken are these : Jiu: . ') J>:n;ri 1 . That the letter of the Scriptures ought to be credited as if God did speak himself. 2. You prefer the words of Peter and Paul, being dead so many hundred years, to be of more conse- quence now than the voice of words God spake to John Reeve. 3. You call the commission of the Spirit a supposed commission and imagination . 4. You call the commission your brother owns 271 and believes, error, and strong delusion, and high impostures, and pretended revelations and commis- sions. o. You utterly deny the body, or person of Christ Jesus, to be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit : this you say is utterly false. 6. You say, the distinction your brother giveth of Christ being Father, Son, and Spirit, in plain terms, is a piece of nonsense. 7- You call the talk of this commission of the Spirit a whimsey of the brain, and no less than de- lusion. 8. You call the doctrine of this commission of the Spirit a new-broached light. These things being considered, I thought it some- thing necessary to answer the things of most note in } r our letter to your brother Alexander ; for in that you despise his advice and counsel, and doctrine and commission he owns, you have despised me and my doctrine. So I have collected the most wickedest speeches of yours out of your letter, wherein you may plainly see the cause of your condemnation is just upon you, in that you think you have free-will to save yourself from eternal damnation ; yet your free-will could not preserve you from the sin against the Holy Ghost, notwithstanding you saw Noble, the Baptist-preacher, damned before your face, for the same sins ; yet he spake but few words to what you have done in your letter. These things considered, in obedience to my com- mission from God, 1 do, for these your wicked speeches afore- writ ten, pronounce Edward Delamain, Baptist-preacher, cursed and damned, both in soul 272 and body, from the presence of God, elect men, and angels, to all eternity. And it will be a marvelous thing if you do escape a very mean, low, even almost a vagabond condition in this life, besides your damnation hereafter; for this I must tell you, that sins of this nature seldom escape a double curse. But now you may go see if you can preach and pray this curse off you again ; and if your will had any power in it, now yon had best bestir yourself Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the Lord's two last Witnesses and Prophets unto the High and Mighty God, the, Man Christ Jesus in Glory. A Copy of a Letter wrote by. the Prophet Lodowicke Mugglctan, to Mrs. Mary Parker, August 13;, IfifiR "' *>vf2?. ol 1UUO. ^ . ;Ti>-) !! Loving and kind friend, Mary Parker, , I RECEIVED your letter inclosed in Mrs. Sudbury's letter, and I find in your letter many excel- lent expressions, and words of faith and confidence in those truths declared by this commission of the Spi- rit : as in that, great mystery, that God became flesh, and God did die to redeem the elect seed, the seed 273 of faith, from eternal death: and in that you have believed the report of us the witnesses of the Spirit, and have cast yourself wholly upon this commission of the Spirit, the arm of the Lord's saving health is re- vealed unto you in a measure already, in that you have found light and life in believing; and the salva- tion of the Lord shall be revealed unto you more and more, even from strength to strength, until a perfec- tion of faith in you, so that no doubt shall arise in your heart as to your eternal happiness ; but the light of faith in you, built upon this rock you have cast yourself upon, it will shew you how all the world doth lie in wickedness, ignorance, and darkness ; nay, all religious, righteous, and good-natured people are in darkness, and ignorant altogether of this great thing, that God should become a child, and grow to a man, and eat and drink with man, and so suffer death by his own creatures, in that he poured out his soul unto death, in that he poured out the Godhead life, that was in the blood ; therefore, the blood of Christ was no less than the blood of God ; and whoever doth be- lieve this, doth really and truly, by faith, drink the blood of God, and hath eternal life abiding in them; that is, the full assurance of eternal life abides here in them in this life, and so enters into eternal glory, when this natural life shall die ; for there is no time to the dead. I confess, I do not know that ever I did see you in my life ; but your letter doth shew to me what your heart is, as I shall add this to your further confidence of faith and comfort of heart, that I do declare you are of the blessed of the Lord both in soul and body to eternity ; in that I perceive you have received in your heart a prophet in the name of a prophet, you 2 M shall have a prophet's reward, which reward is no less than the blessing of eternal life. So resteth your friend, though unknown by sight, but known by truth in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, August 13, 1668. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, bearing date from London, Sept ember 21, 166,5. Loving and kind Friend, Thomas Tompkinson, I UNDERSTAND by Elizabeth Bootham, that you have not received those books that came out of the press last, in answer to George Foxe ; also I heard Mr. Delamaine's letter you sent to him, and vou made no mention of the receipt of the books, which I did much marvel at ; but I perceive by your letter to Elizabeth Bootham, that you have not re- ceived them yet ; therefore I thought good to let you understand, that I did send five books to you; it is now almost six weeks since : also I sent a letter with them, and another enclosed from your maid, but it seems you have received none, which is a very base thing of the carrier, that could not have conveyed the letter to you before now ; but I perceive it was partly your maid's fault, for she and my wife went together, 275 and your maul delivered the books and the letter to the carrier that brought her up to London, which is Utoxeter carrier, and not by Ashbourne carrier, and this I suppose is the cause of the miscarriage ; there- fore I would desire you to call for the letter and five books of Laurence Foxe, Utoxeter carrier, which he received about five or six weeks ago. You will know by the date of the letter if you receive it. This Lau- rence Foxe inns at the Bell, in Smithfield, near the White Bear, London. Also I would desire you, if you have sold any of those books, to send the money for as many as you have sold as soon as conveniently you can. This is all at present, only that we are all well, and do remember our loves to you and your wife, with all friends else there with you. I rest and remain your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, September 21, 1668. Direct your letters to me thus : For Mr. Muggle- ton, at the widow Brunt's house, next door to the sign of the White Horse, in the Postern, near Moor-lane, London. Elizabeth Bootham remembers her love and service to you and your wife; and she saith, she would not have you trouble yourself about sending any cheese, for she doth think she shall not stay here in London until All-holland-tide, therefore desireth to hear from you as soon as may be. ** *.<' So resteth your servant, J ']'>;; ELIZABETH BOOTHAM. 2 M 2 270 .T>i niv; 4 CPy f a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Slade- house, in Staffordshire, bearing date from London, December 14, 1668. JLoving Friend, Thomas Tompkinson, THIS is to certify you, that I received your letter, dated December 7, 1668 ; also I received of William Osbourne the ten shillings you sent, and Elizabeth Bootham received her things also. There is little or no news here at London at present, for every sort of people here hath freedom of conscience to meet without any disturbance, only the Quakers people are much offended at me for setting forth this last book, called a Looking-Glass for Quakers; in- somuch, that several of the chief speakers of the Quakers have come to talk to me about it, and have come under the sentence of damnation ; and one Thomas Loe, a speaker of the Quakers, sent me a cursed, desperate, blasphemous letter, worse than ever I received of any from Quaker or other before ; but upon the return of the sentence of damnation upon him, this said Thomas Loe fell sick the same night he received it, and never went out of his bed more till he was carried to be buried, which was in less than three weeks, which thing hath been great amazement to the Quakers, and hath moved them much against me; insomuch, that they have banded themselves against me, and have raked amongst all the damned devils they can hear of, to bear their testimony against me; and all false reports by this 277 damned crew are taken for truth by the Quakers, that they might set forth a book against me. The chief speakers of the Quakers have consulted together, and, as I understand by several Quakers, have writ- ten nearly thirty sheets of paper against me, and in- tended to put it in print before now. I did expect to have seen it before now, but there hath fallen a cross upon them, for their printer's press is broken in pieces, and the printer in prison for printing a book against the Presbyterians, and the man that wrote it hideth himself, yet a Quaker, and one oi those that writeth against me ; so that for the present there is a stop put to the Quaker's book against me, for no printer else must do it, it being not licenced. I have written the chief passages in a dispute with some Quakers with me for memory sake, which here- after may come to light. So in haste, I rest, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered unto yourself and wife, and all friends else there with you. . Suns \h j . I remain your friend in the true faith, ,ii;i LODOWICKE MUGGLETON' (I : i r/r /i-j-. >'i -iff The Postern. London, . j^~ ^A ifiro x/ec. J.', luuo. ;:.; :f;ill i I JllJgxf f ' jit(i'./lJio1 ;!fii\ ' ' : ' M ' 'H: ii 278 0! Loving and kind Friend in the true Faith, Thomas Tompkinson, THIS is to certify you that I have sent seven books of the Interpretation of the Witch of Endor; 280 I did intend the Answer to Isaac Pennington should have been printed also ; but it did miscarry in the press. ;yid I never was so crossed in all the books as I have printed, as in these two ; for this of the Witch of Endor hath been for six months in the printer's hands ; but with much difficulty, ami trouble, and charge, I have got it safe out of the press : but because this printer was so base, and kept it so long, I put the other to another printer, thinking to have it done before this, and so it would ; but through the forget- fulness of the printer, not taking the copy in his pockets as he thought to do, he went out, and left the copy and proof of one sheet upon the press, with his servants, and the searchers came immediately up stairs iand took it, and would have carried it to the council ; but the printer made friends, for money, else he would have been utterly undone ; for it cost the printer seven pounds, and me five pounds, to pacify the matter, and not get it done neither. But I have preserved the copy, most part of it, and here- after I do think to print it, but not at present, it will be no ways convenient. But I am glad it was not the Witch of Endor was taken ; because 'tis of more va- lue, and never written of before, by us, nor no other, and much desired, and objected by many : there is one for Thomas Turner, who gave 2s. 6d. 9 one for Richard Xjrindy, who gave Is. 6c?., and one for John Grindy, who gave 1*., and one for Lawrence Water- man, who gave 1*., and there is three for yourself to dispose as you please, and pay for the carriage. These cannot be afforded under Is. price, I sell none of them under, nor never will, while they last ; I will not do as I did by the Mortality of the Soul, sell it for six- pence, and now I would give '2s. 6d. myself for one 281 single. Here is Mr. Delamaine's letter inclosed. Thus in haste, I rest, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered to yourself and wife, and all friends in the faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, London, January 31, 1669. A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Goodwyn, of Chesterfield, bearing date February 4, 1669- Loving Friend in the true Faith, Mr. Goodwyn, THIS is to certify you that I have sent you six books of the Interpretation of the Witch of Endor, desiring you to give Betty Smith one, and Betty Slater one, and two for your mother, and two for yourself. Also I did intend the other should have been printed now ; but things have fallen out very cross ; for the other book was taken in the press, and the printer brought into a great deal of trouble ; for it cost the printer seven pounds, and me five pounds, to pacify the matter; else the printer would have been utterly undone, and not get it done neither, and I could do no less to help bear him out, though it was altogether his careless forgetful ness that was the cause, and the business of the other printer, that kept this so long in hand, about six months : I have been more vexed about these than with all I did be- 2N 282 fore ; but yet I am somewhat comforted, that though I have staid long, yet, at last, I have got it out of the press, it being of more concernment than the other, and of a bigger volume, and a thing that was never written of before, by us, nor no other : and hereafter I do intend to print the other, if it be pos- sible, when times are a little more open ; for the copy is yet preserved. This is all at present, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered unto you, and your wife, and mo- ther, and all friends else there with you, in haste, I rest your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. February 4, 1669. Also I have sent of these books to William New- come, desiring him to send two of the Mortality of the Soul for them : he said (when he was in London) that he had two of them, and that he would change with me for these. I would intreat you to be earnest with him, to look them up, and send them to me sud- denly; because there is one or two friends in Kent, is extreme eager with me to get them for them ; be- cause I told them, I thought I should ; and if he hath any more there, to let him send them, and he shall have what he will for them, either books or money ; and this I would desire William Newcome, to sell none of these under twelve pence a-piece ; for I will sell none under, as long as they last ; for these cost twice the price printing of what the others did. You may give William Newcome this piece. ~txl I \ ' ' '&$ -283 A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to John Lad. Friend John Lad in the true Faith, fyc. I HAVE read over your letter, and I perceive your understanding is very much enlightened in the true saving light, and your faith strong in the doc- trine of the commission of the Spirit. I have heard a good report of you before, as to your knowledge in truth in spiritual things, but by your expressions in your letter you have shewed a greater measure of faith in God, and knowledge in those things, those saving truths declared by us the witnesses of the Spirit, than was expected by me ; but where the seed of faith is quickened by the words of truth, it will grow like a green olive-tree, as Christ said his words were spirit and life : also to every one that believes, the arm of the Lord's saving health is revealed to that soul, which is spirit and life to it, in that they are a savour of life unto life in them that are saved in that words of truth. It quickens that seed in man that was dead, and makes it alive, and so becomes spirit and life in man ; so that the life a man doth live here is a life of faith, which is peace of mind, because this faith it shall live eternally with God, in whom he did believe. Here you have expressed a great measure of this faith, and it is that which I believe is in your heart is true faith, and will grow in you to a greater perfection, ena- bling you to withstand all gainsayers whatsoever even in this life, besides the eternal happiness hereafter, when men shall receive the end of their faith, even 2N2 284 the salvation of their souls. This is all at present, time being short. I rest your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Pottern, London, April 23, 1669. A Letter from the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, June 14, 1669- Dear Friend in the true Faith, Mrs. Parker, I RECEIVED a letter from you heretofore before I had seen you, which made me sensible that your faith was true, and your heart was right in the sight of God ; and I being the messenger x>f God, and an ambassador in God's stead, could do no less than give judgment and sentence of blessedness upon you ; and I see and know that the word of a true prophet is not in vain, but standeth for ever ; and I have seen the fruit of faith and love abound in you since I have seen you, and that part of those melan- choly thoughts you were exercised with in your mind about temporal matters, are in a measure vanished away, and comfortable thoughts do run in the blood in the room thereof, which cheereth the heart in the assurance of eternal life, and happiness after death, knowing there is no worse thing than there is in this life. Oh, how comfortable is faith, without doubting, in the soul of man and woman ! It removes iuoun- 285 tains of darkness and great mists which lie before the understanding of man and woman ; it giveth an hun- dred-fold of comfort in this life, and life everlasting hereafter ; it makes a man or woman enjoy themselves in this life, and no bitterness of fear of damnation can come into the heart. These things I know you have seen, in a measure, and will experience them more and more. Oh, how beautiful are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of peace to the soul of man or woman ! I have read of these things in Scrip- ture in my ignorant zeal, but knew not what that peace was, neither did I know what that glad tidings was, until I was a chosen messenger of glad tidings myself ; yea, I have been a messenger of glad tidings to you and many others, and I have been a messenger of sad tidings to many. These things I certainly know, yet am I no-ways lifted up with pride in this thing, nor cast down with any opposition of slanders and lies cast upon me by reprobate men and women : but I speak these things the more to strengthen your faith, being but of a short time standing, and having but little society with saints, and little of experience. I thought it necessary to speak kindly unto you, that your joy might be full ; that you might have the penny of assurance of everlasting life, as those that have wrought in the vineyard of faith many years. Thus, with my true love, and my wife's love re- membered unto yourself, I rest and remain your friend in the true faith, the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. From the Postern, London, June 14, 1669. We are all here at London in pretty good health. 286 A Letter from the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, June. 14, 166'9. noijj;:!: Dear and well-beloved Friend in the eternal Truth, Ellen Sudbury, I HAVE always remembered your faith and love to this commission of the Spirit from the begin- ning, wherein I received your first letter, wherein I found your faith and love was built upon a sure rock, even before you had seen me, or any of my writings, but Claxton's writings only; and I see how blest a thing it is to cast the soul upon a commission from God, not reasoning with flesh and blood, that is, to think to try the prophet's doctrine and declaration by the letter of the Scriptures, which cannot speak (as most people do) but you believing and did not see, in that you were more blessed than these that have both heard me speak, and seen me, and have believed as Thomas did also. You were one of the first, nay, I think the first in those parts, that did set to your seal, that the doctrine of this commission of the Spi- rit to be a real truth, and received a prophet in the name of a prophet, whereby you received a prophet's reward, the blessing of everlasting life, whereby you have grown in grace from strength of faith to strength, even to the full assurance of eternal life abiding in yourself ; so that no doubt can arise in you to trouble you, as it doth in all others who build not upon this rock. Also you were for several years as one alone ; for every Quaker, Bemonjst, and others tp be tried, that if it were possible by their cavilling spirits to have caused you to doubt or question your faith; but I have seen your faith hath grown stronger and 287 stronger, and hath established your soul more firm, even like Mount Sion, which cannot be shaken, even while you stood alone ; but in some space of time after to add unto your comfort in this life and the life to come; also God hath given your husband to be partaker of the like precious faith with you, and so will partake of the same glory with you hereafter, when time shall be no more ; also there is given unto you for your further comfort in this life, another true believer fit for your society, one of your own sex, even your true neighbour, M. P. Dear Friend, This is to certify you that I came well home to London on Friday in the Whitsun-week, and all friends in London are pretty well, and were glad at my coming; but Mr. Whitehead went from Cam- bridge a matter of twelve days before. There is little news at London since I went, only the Quaker's tes- timony against me, upon whom I gave sentence of damnation, three hours before his death was written his testimony against me from his own mouth, which I received when I came home. It is of very little consequence, else I would have sent it you ; but in- stead of that, I have sent you a book written by one that was a Quaker fourteen years, which will inform you more concerning the Quakers; and I would in- treat you to convey the other book to Mrs. Carter, with the letter, as soon as possible may be. Thus, with my dear love to yourself and husband, with my wife's love to you both, I take leave, and remain Your Friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Postern, London, June 14, 1669. 288 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Slade- house, in Staffordshire, bearing date from London, June 19, 1669. Loving Friend in the eternal Truth, Thomas Tompkimon, I SAW a letter of yours to our friend Mr. De- lamaine, and 1 received 9*. of him by your order ; and I perceive by your letter it is exceeding great trouble to your spirit, that it was not your happiness to see me arid those friends with me, being so near you. Mr. Whitehead, of Braintree, and Walter Bo- henan, the Scotchman, were with me in all my jour- ney, and we had good success and prosperous in all places and things we did intend, in that we saw all friends of the faith in Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Nottingham, and Chesterfield, and there was an in- tention and resolution to have seen you in us all, and all our care was when we were at Nottingham how to give you notice, that you might have met me either at Nottingham or Chesterfield; for Mr. Whitehead was to go, and did go, to Birmingham and Dudley in Staffordshire, joining to Worcestershire, to Mr. Finch, one that was formerly a Quaker, but now doth own this. Mr. Whitehead had some business with him in the way of his trade, being an ironmonger ; so Walter Bohenan went with Mr. Whitehead to the place before-mentioned; it was above forty miles from Nottingham, but I stayed at Nottingham, being very weary with riding. We came to Nottingham to Mr. Sudbury's on Saturday ; but Mr. Whitehead and Walter Bohenan went from thence the Monday 289 morning very early ; but I staid there till the Thurs- day following before I went to Chesterfield, and they were to meet me at Chesterfield, at Mrs. Carter's, on Thursday, as was intended, but they did not come there till Saturday ; so I made a full account, and was almost confident they had found you out, which had caused them to stay so long ; for they did intend, and it was concluded upon by us all, and by Mrs. Sudbury, that they should find you out. Being well horsed, as they were, if it were twelve or fourteen miles out of their way, they would have seen you, because Mr. Sudbury would have conveyed a letter unto you, to give you notice that I was there, but he could not; so I depended, and so did Mrs. Sud- bury, that Mr. Whitehead and Mr. Walter Bohenan would have seen you, and the more, because they staid two days longer than was intended ; but it fell out contrary to all our expectations, which made us all sensible of much trouble, that all things else in our journey had prospered well, and if we had seen you also, our joy would have been full ; but missing this opportunity, our joy was somewhat diminished, to what it would have been had we seen you, even as much satisfaction as can be had in weary journies ; but after a little rest there is joy in the morning. Mr. Whitehead would willingly have gone ten miles out of his way if he could have heard where Slade-house was ; but none could tell them where; for they asked the country people for, or where Slade-house was, but none could tell them where, nor they did not know or remember any town near it, for they had forgot that I had told them it was about four or five miles from Ashbourne, by which means did this mishap fall out. So, dear friend, I would not have you to think, 2 O 290 or have any such thoughts, that it was for want of good will or love in any of us, or any slender thoughts in any of us more to you than to others; for we had and have the same affections of love and tenderness, and desire, to have seen you and your good wife, as to others ; but none of us knowing the way, and by report a very bad way to your house from those parts, disheartened us to go any further. Also I understand that Mr. Delamaine did give you to know that I was in those parts, else you would not have known so soon; but it was too late before he did know it himself; for he did as much marvel that I was in those parts of the country as you did, for there was no friends in the faith, nor sons nor daughters here at London, that did know that I would go any further than Cambridge, but my wife and one more, whose mother I was to go and see in Leicestershire, nor of Mr. Whitehead and Walter Bohenan's going with me, I kept all secret from friends here in London ; but friends in Cambridge- shire knew of it ; but I gave them notice to keep it secret from friends in London, till we came back again, which they did ; so that none could give intel- ligence to friends in Leicestershire, Nottingham, or Chesterfield, so we came upon them before they were aware, unexpected, and so we thought to do by you, but did not attain our desires. For I knew if it had been known here at London, it would have been blazed about to them all before we came, and to you also, had it been known ; for as soon as Mr. Dela- maine did hear of it by a letter I sent to my wife, and one that Mr. Saddington's sister in Leicestershire sent to him, it was known that I was in those parts, then Mr. Delamaine, out of his exceeding great love to you, did send you word ; but going by Ashbourne 21)1 carrier, I perceive it came to your hand a day or two too late ; for he could not have sent with safety to your house by the post ; yet I perceive you had our friend Delamaine's letter before we went from Not- tingham ; for William Newcombe parted with us at Mrs. Carter's on Monday morning early, and he was to go that day to Bakwell, and we went to Notting- ham, and staid there till Wednesday ten o'clock, and so departed thence the way we came, till we came to Cambridge again; so Mr. Whitehead, as soon as he could, staid three days there, and went to his own home ; but I staid a week longer ; for I had promised them to stay with them at my return back. Thus accidentally, I was the occasion that you did not see us ; because it was secret and not known ; but our desire and intent was to you as to others. Thus I have given you a true account of the most considerable passages, and of our intents and desires, in this our journey. So I shall say no more at present as to that ; only to let you know that I am well, and so is my wife, and so are most of our friends in the faith here in London, pretty well. Thus, with my love, with my wife's love to your- self, and your wife, and all friends else there with you, ' I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Poster n , London, June 19, 1669. ..'.::::; I would desire when you send to me or Mr. Dela- maine, if it be not too much trouble, whether that 2 O 2 292 in aid that fasted a whole year, as was reported, be alive yet, or no ; because I heard at Chesterfield for certain that she was yet alive, and that it was a mere cheat to get money. A Letter from the Prophet Lodowickc Muggleton, to Mrs. Ellen Sudbury, August 30, 1*669. Dearly beloved Friend in the true Faith, Ellen Sudbury, I RECEIVED your letter, and was glad to hear of your welfare, and of the strength of faith in you : you are as one of the daughters of Sion, which rejoiceth the heart of him that begot you to the true faith ; for in the day wherein you first believed, be- fore you had seen me, you were blessed of the Lord's messenger for your faith; for you have been like a green olive tree, that hath had the oil of joy, and gladness of heart, in the assurance of everlasting life, these many years, and I see the cruise of oil doth not staunch yet, but runneth more powerful than at the first, and so it will to the end ; for the act of faith in you hath digged a deep well in the seed of faith in you, which will spring up in you, to satisfy your thirst here ; so that no doubt or want of peace can come unto you, as concerning your eternal happiness, and it will spring up into eternal life. Also you may and do see, what an excellent language the heavenly lan- guage is ; it differs from all the languages in the world ; and you having learned the heavenly language qf Canaan, y.ou know the voice of it, wherever you 1 J O 293 hear it : in some it is more plain and easily under- stood than in others ; yet, whoever doth speak it, though but in a stammering manner, yet the voice of faith understands the language of heavenly Canaan easily, which I know you can experience very easily ; for you have understood and spoke that language this many years. Mr. Whilehead is well ; he was at London the last week, and about Michaelmas he will be at London again. There is a great increase in the faith here at London, and in some countries. There have been with me of late, two or three German men, that were banished out of Germany, for not submit- ting to the worship set up by that power : there hath been strange things acted there about religion, as here in England ; so these men came to see me, to see what difference there is between the revelation and declaration, declared by John Reeve and myself, and that revelation their countrymen have had ; but the difference is as great as heaven and earth ; for their revelation is like many that have been in Eng- land these forty years, as prophets and prophetesses, yet know not the true God, neither in form nor na- ture, nor the right devil, nor any true principle of doctrine nor commission, yet go forth as if the Loi'd sent them, yet know not the Lord : the one of these is a doctor of physick, and the other was a minister in Germany ; the minister could not speak English so well as the doctor ; but the doctor bought all the books, and hath written the commission-book into the German language, and hath sent it among the 1 Germans ; so what the isfeue will be, time will bring forth ; for there is many would believe, did they but understand it in their own language, You speak as if I should hear from Mrs. Goodwin* 294 but I have beard notbing from them, since I was there with them, not as yet. Thus, in haste, I shall only remember my dear love unto yourself and your husband, with my wife's love unto you both. I rest and remain your friend in the true faith, i LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. From the Postern, London, August 30, 1GG9. - There is two little books, the one concerning witches, and the other an answer to Pennington the Quaker's book, are ready for the press; therefore, what Mr. Sudbury is free to give towards the printing, is left to his own liberty. About five weeks hence it will be, I suppose, printed, n r A Letter from the Prophet Lodowicke Muggkton, to Mrs. Mary Parker, August 30, 1669- . Dear and loving Friend in the true faith, Mary Parker, m THIS is to certify you that I received your letter, dated August the 8th day, 1669. It is a great while since, and I have returned you no answer, be- cause I have been very much employed with writing and speaking with people, since I was with you ; but I am not insensible of rejoicing in the growth of your 205 faith and confidence in this commission of the Spirit, in that you have received a prophet in the name of a prophet, in the love of truth, and that the word of a true prophet shall stand for ever. Now I know it will be unto you that believe, as the voice of God himself, as the law of the Medes and Persians, that cannot be altered ; and now the light of heaven being set in your understanding, by your believing in the commission of the Spirit, in casting yourself upon the word of a man ; I know you can tell the difference in yourself, whether your condition was better when you did not believe, or whether it is better and more satisfactory to your spirit now you do believe, than before : therefore, let no motions of reason in yourself, nor arguments of reason in others, make you to doubt ; for this I say, there is such a thing as eternal glory hereafter, by believing, which will not be a minute of an hour, after death, before every believer shall enter into that personal glory, where they shall see their God, their King, and Re- deemer, who hath redeemed us with his own blood, face to face. Also, there is such a thing as eternal damnation, which will not be a minute of an hour after death to the unbeliever, where they shall be capable of eternal torment, in utter darkness with the devil reason, for ever and ever. I write not these things unto you, as if I did ques- tion or doubt the strength of your faith ; but because I know your faith is built upon a rock, that cannot be shaken, and it might grow more strong, and peace might more abound in you, even while you live in this world, that you might rejoice, by believing an hundred-fold of satisfaction of spirit in this life; for in the life to come you shall have life everlasting. Thus being in haste, I shall take leave, only my dear 296 love to yourself, with my wife's love remembered unto you. I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. From the Postern, London, August 30, 1669. _ I have finished that writing concerning the Witch of Endor, and other witches, ready for the press : I have been desired by many to put it forth, with the Answer to Esquire Pennington, the Quaker. They are two little volumes, distinct of themselves ; there- fore what you are free to give, towards the printing of them, is left to your own liberty. It will, I suppose, be in print, about a month or five weeks hence. =============================== : A Letter from the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, Sept. 6, 1669. i Loving Friend in the true Faith, Thomas Tompkinson, ' THIS is to let you understand that I have,writ- ten a book concerning the Witch of Endor, spoken of in the book of Samuel, and of other witches and wizards, who deal with familiar spirits, shewing how a familiar spirit is begotten, and how they may be said to speak out of the ground, and how Samuel may be said to speak unto king Saul, and how spi- rits may be said to speak without bodies, and how a V ' ' * 297 man may be said to preach unto the spirits in prison, and how a man may be said to be in Paradise, yet not without a body, and how men may understand what that Satan is, whom the Scripture speaketh of, and what that Satan was, that tempted Job, and all other places of Scripture that seem as if spirits might speak, and appear unto people, without bodies : they are clearly proved and opened, and will much enlighten the understanding, to answer unto those things so commonly objected by most people. Also there is another book which I have written in answer to Esquire Pennington, a Quaker, his book, which he wrote against me, and many of our friends have a de- sire that I would put them two in print; they are but little volumes; the Witches, I suppose, will make five sheets, and I suppose the other will be less. . Therefore I thought good to acquaint you with it, and what you are free to give toward the printing, or any other friend there with you, it is left to your own liberty what ; but I suppose there is hardly any there with you, but yourself, that can, or is free, to give any thing towards the printing. I suppose they will be printed about, a month hence. This is all at pre- sent, being in haste, only to let you know that I am very well, and so is my wife, and so are all friends else here in London, pretty well. So with my love, with my wife's love remembered unto yourself, and your wife, and all friends else in the faith there with you, I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. From the Postern, London, September Q, J669. 2P 298 When you send to me, direct your letter to me thus : " For Mr. Muggleton, at the widow Brunt's house, next door to the sign of the White Horse, in the postern, near Moor-lane, London. A Letter of the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Christopher Hill, September 9, I66p. Loving Friend, Christopher Hilly MY love remembered unto you and your wife. This is to certify you, that my wife hath been sick of the small-pox; they did appear the next morning you went away from us : she hath been very full, so that there was little hopes of life ; but now we do conceive the worst is past for this bout ; yet she is very trou- blesome still, being something light-headed, so that her nurse can have no rest, which is a marvellous thing, that she should hold out as she doth ; for she hath not got an hour's sleep at once, not these twelve nights and days. My wife doth remember her love to yourself and wife, and to all the rest of her friends with you. And I would desire you to send me those two Commission-Books, and if you have anymore of them, send them, and as many of the Mortality as you have, send; and if you have any of the Dialogue, and Devil-Books, and the Lost Sheep, send them up with the other, if you can, the next return of Haines the carrier. I question not but this proclamation, which came out last, will both fright and incite you all to church 299 now, to save twelve-pence a-week ; for it will fare as well with those as never goes at all, as it will with those as go every now and then, except they can give a lawful excuse why they stay away : they must hear divine service, and receive the sacrament also like good national Christians. But those who are not stone-blind, may see what it is to make shipwreck of faith, and a good conscience ; neither will that wis- dom of reason, in bowing down to a false worship, gain that felicity of mind, nor wealth of this world, as was expected, but rather the contrary ; for he that is willing to lose his life shall save it, and he that is willing to save his life, shall lose it: and those words of Christ, I find to be a standing truth, both in the spiritual, and in the natural, and happy and blessed are they which hold out to the end, that they may receive an hundred-fold of peace and quietness in tins life, and in the life to come life everlasting. No more at present, but rest Your friend in the true faith in the true God, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, September 9, 1669. 300 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodoicickc Muggleton, to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of ^lade- house, in Staffordshire, bearing date from London, October*, I6t>9. lo . Dear and loving Friend in the true Faith, Thomas Tompkinson, THIS is to certify you, that I received your letter, dated September 6, 1669, and I suppose I shall receive the money on Monday morning ; for I was forced to write these lines unto you, before I could receive the money, because you might not miss of an answer this return ; and I understand you have some thoughts to come to see us shortly, and that you might see friends in the way ; therefore I shall give the names and places : I suppose you will come by Nottingham, and those friends you know there, only Mr. Sudbury and his wife, and Mr. Parker ; and in Leicestershire, a matter of seven miles on this side Leicester, towards London, at a town called Arnesby, liveth one John Hall, and his mother, and two or three miles on one side, liveth Thomas Hall, the bro- ther of John Hall, and have two brothers more in London that own the truth ; and within half a mile of John Hall, liveth one who is sister to John Sadding- ton, here of London, which owneth the truth ; I saw her when I was there in my last journey : John Hall, or his mother, will send for her ; so that they will in- form you one of another : and as for those at Cam- bridge, it will be your best course to enquire for one AVilliam Dickinson, a butcher, in the Petty Cury, at Cambridge, and there is Thomas Parke, that will in- form you of Charles Cleve, Mr. Hampson, and sere- 301 ral others, there in Cambridge, and at Burton, two miles from Cambridge, Goodman AVarbo'yes and his wife, and at Orwell, \Villiam Cakebread and his wife. There is several others in those parts, which those friends aforesaid will inform you of. And if you should come into Essex, at Braintree there is one James Whitehead, an ironmonger, he that was with me when I was at Chesterfield. This is all at present, being in haste, only my love, and my wife's love remembered to yourself and your wife. I rest and remain your friend in the true faith, LODOW1CKE A1UGGLETON. From the Postern, London, October 4, 1669. ? I have received the 10$. since. My love presented to all friends there with you. i) . ~~- - - T _ , - - - ^r - ------ -~ A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Mugglcton, to Mr* Thomas Tompkinsori, dated from London, December 4, 1669- lu.Ln--***! !!:". Dear Friend in the eternal Truth, Thomas Tompkinson, I RECEIVED your letter, dated November 29, 1669, and according to your request, I shall write a few lines unto you, this return, to certify that I am 302 well, and so is my wife, and all friends elsewhere at London, and that my daughter White was well deli- vered of a son, which was a great comfort to her hus- band, and to us all, because they have none alive; but two weeks after it was born, it died, which is some grief to her and him ; and as for Mr. Delamaine, he is well, and I shewed him your letter ; and as for Mrs. Alsop, here in London, I do not know any such woman, neither do I know any that believes this com- mission in Lancaster ; if there be any, it is more than I know. And as for that business concerning the Lord Mayor, he could do nothing to me, having no law on his side; for I said unto him, if there were any matter of law against me, let him bind them (the ac- cuser) over to prosecute, and I would put in bail to defend it ; but he, having no law on his side, gave no heed to what I said, nor none of them proffered to be bound to prosecute ; so the Lord-Mayor railed at me, and threatened me to do what he could, and as it is reported since, that he gave the Commission- Book to the Speaker of the House of Commons, being the Lord-Mayor's kinsman, to do what they could do ; but I hear nothing of it since ; for now he is out of his mayoralty, he is like another man. And as for the books you think long, as you may well enough, and so they do here in London ; but the printer hath dealt so basely by me, he hath had them to do these four months, and hath done but one sheet and-a-half; yet the two books will be about five or six sheets a-piece, so that I am forced to put one of them to another printer: but this man that hath dealt so basely by me, is one that I never employed before ; for he that printed all the rest would not do them ; so I was forced to get whom I could ; but I hope I shall 303 get them done by Christmas, or a little after; for all printers have been full of business this Term-time, with almanacks, and other things ; but now they are over, I hope I shall get them done, and as soon as I can get them out of the press, you shall hear from me ; and if it be so hard to get these two little volumes printed, what should I do to get those greater books printed ? Therefore my advice to you and all other believers of these writings, is, to make much of these writings, and not to embezzle them away ; for when these be gone that I have, they will not be had for any money ; for I think they will never be printed any more, the charge will be so great, and the difficulty to get them done, will be the cause they will never be printed again. This is all at present, only my love, with my wife's love to yourself, and to your wife, and all friends else there with you. I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. From tie Postern, .London, December 4, 166$, 304 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, bearing date from London, March 20, 1670. Directed to Slade- hottse, in Staffordshire. Lwing and kind Friend in the true Faith, Thomas Tompkinson, I RECEIVED your letter, dated February 26, 1670, wherein I perceive your constant faith in this commission of the Spirit, which faith will uphold you in the day of trouble ; and as for my being, I am where I was, in Wapping, and am pretty well in health, but confined from my own house still, because of that warrant which will last always, as long as the present power lasteth ; yet my being in these parts hath been a means to establish many in this faith, who were Quakers and Baptists before ; and, as it happened, one Mr. Atkinson, a Quaker, and Eliza- beth Atkinson his wife, a zealous Quaker, who fell from the Quakers, and wrote against the Quakers, who came to me several times (perhaps you have had of her writings.) Her husband was loath she should come to me at the first, but she growing stronger and stronger in faith and argument by coming to me, she overcame her husband to see me, and hear me ; which, when her husband did see and hear me, he was very much taken and affected in love towards me, and desired me to come to his house very oft, which I did by their inviting ; so that the man was very much affected with my discourse, and had faith in this commission of the Spirit. But to be short ; it hap- pened, that after he had been acquainted with me but - 305 half a year, the man died; but he gave such testi- mony of his faith in this commission of the Spirit, with such wonderful expressions to his wife, and others that came unto him, exhorting them to stand steadfast in this faith, and let no doubt arise in them, for he did not think there could have been such peace upon this earth as he now did find, and that they should give glory to God that had sent a pro- phet upon earth now in these our days, who had de- clared to us the true God, and the rise of the two seeds, and all other things fit to be known ; therefore' let there be no doubt of these things, and said it 1 would not be half a quarter of an hour before he should rise again, and be in glory, with many other wonderful expressions concerning the doctrine and faith of this commission of the Spirit, to the great amazement of those that heard him, and strengthen- ing of the faithful, and convincernent of the Qua- kers; for their mouths are stopped, and made silent by his testimony at his death. This is one that had been a Quaker many a year. I thought good only to give you a little touch of these things for the strengthening of your faith ; for it is more for one Quaker to die in this faith, and express himself so, than for one hundred of those that have professed it. But I shall say no more of that matter here And as for my advice and judgment concerning your factoring this next summer in butter and cheese to London ; as to that, my advice is, that if you could deal with honest and able men, it would do well ; but I have r.o skill neither in that trade, nor acquainted with any men of that trade, nor familiar acquaintance, only with Mr. Shelley ; and I heard that he should say, that the carriage by land of those commodities 2 Q 306 did take up much of the cheesemonger's gain ; but I had no discourse with him about it, therefore I shall not encourage you in it, nor altogether discourage you in it ; neither am I at all acquainted with Mr. Ewer, or but little with Mr. Prince, especially in the matter of trade ; therefore I can give but very little advice or encouragement in things I know not, neither will I dissuade you from it ; but if you think your coming to London will not be too much hindrance unto you, it would be best for you to come ; for speaking with men face to face, will work more upon men than letters will, because a man may give many more reasons to objections by word of mouth than can be expressed by letters ; therefore if you will venture the charge and trouble in coming to London only about this matter, whether you lose or win, I shall leave it to your own mind to resolve upon. And this is all the advice I can give you at present in this matter, being unskilled in their way of trad- ing, and unacquainted with the men; for I would gladly that you should do well, and should be very sorry you should be a loser ; therefore be well advised in your own mind of what I have said before. This is all at present, only my love and wife's love remembered unto yourself, and unto your wife. I rest your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. * A . J ^ * London, March 20, 1670. 307 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowickc Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Slade- house, in Staffordshire, bearing date from London, AprilZS, 1670. Loving and kind Friend in the true Faith, Thonas Tompkinton, THIS is to certify you and your loving wife, that we received your kind token, and do give you both hearty thanks for your kind love : and further, this is to let you know, that we are both well at pre- sent, and so are most of our friends here at London ; and that since I came from Cambridgeshire, we re- ceived your kind token. There is one of our chief friends in Cambridgeshire dead, namely, the widow Adams, who lived at Orwell ; but she was married above half a year to a friend of the faith, namely, Thomas Warboyes, a very honest-hearted man, and sufficient of the world's goods, who is in great trouble for the loss of her ; but her daughter and son-in-law do live in Orwell still, but they being persecuted for not going to church, they do intend to remove from thence to Ware, about Michaelmas; so that this house at Orwell hath been a place of entertainment, like a stage-town, for many, twelve years to my knowledge ; but now it will be broken up, and the saints will be scattered, but not out of England. Also this act against meetings being so severe and cruel, it disheartens all sorts of professors of religion ; but what the effect of it will be, time will bring forth ; but however, it doth not reach us as yet ; but yet we are sorry for the troubles of other*; for it is their 2 Q2 308 conscience to meet, else they can have no peace ; but blessed be the God of truth, that hath given us peace, without outward worship, God's wisdom hath been mightily seen, in that he hath preserved this commission from all those iaws, and powers of the nation, k that have been made hitherto: and it is the most wise God, that hath sent a commission into this world, that giveth peace of mind in believing, without outward worship, so that truth runs clearly through the hearts of many ; and the powers cannot tell how to stay it, nor make no laws against it. This is all at present, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered unto yourself, and your wife, and ' all triends else there with you. I rest and remain your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, London, near Moor- Fields, Jpril25 y 1670. 'A Copy of a Letter written by the prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson. of Slade- house, bearing date from London, December 7 1670. Loving Friend in the eternal Truth, Thomas Tompkinson, I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date No- 'vember 18, 1670, wherein I perceive you have not heard by any of our friends, nor by me, of the several troubles I have been in this whole year, but especially j i j 309 since Midsummer, so that I have not lodged at my own house these five months, nor dare not yet. I shall only give you a little hint of the cause, that you may understand, because I cannot enlarge upon particulars nor circumstances, but to give you a hint . of the ground, and some passages of trouble that hath happened unto me this year about these books. The first ground and cause of my troubles in this kind, I perceive now it was about this time twelve- month, in this month December, there was a. book of mine taken in the press as it was printing, and that did allude to the words in other books printed before, by which the master of the press did perceive there were other books printed without a licence ; where- upon he sent twelve or fourteen men, some stationers, with the warden of the company, and some of the king's messengers, to search and seize upon unlicenced books; so. there came twelve or fourteen men, and wrenched open the hatch before I was aware, and run into every room of the house ; so they seized upon ten pounds worth of books, most of them un- made up; so they were intended to carry them all away, but they consulted among themselves, and said, Mr. Muggleton, we will be civil, we will take only some of these that are bound together, and leave the rest while further order; so they took what they would, and left the rest ; but when they had perused them, they judging them to be blasphemy, they got a warrant from the council of state to take my per- son ; so by chance I heard that there was a warrant out for me by my attorney at law, who saw it in the office ; so I got out of my house immediately, and in a few days after came the messenger for me, but he missed of me ; he came three times, but could not meet with me. A few days after came the Marshal of the Trained Bands, with a warrant from the mi- 310 litia, for my person to come before them ; for not appearing upon the Trained Bands, they fined me five pounds ; and I being not at home, but he thought I was, so he in fury threatened my wife and Mrs. Brunt, and caused my wife to open the door, which she need not; but when he got into the cham- ber, he seized upon the best and heaviest chest, and caused two porters to carry it away to Guildhall, for five pounds, for not appearing upon the Trained Bands. The chest had in it books and linen to the worth of fifteen or sixteen pounds ; so after he had done, he knew that he could not justify this act of his, by virtue of a military warrant, before the man of the house was apprehended ; and he heard that I would sue him at the law for burglary and felony, to take away a man's goods before a man is convicted by the law : he hearing of this, pretended a great deal of love to my daughter White, as if he for her sake would do her father what good lie could to get the chest again for a small matter, before the chest was broke up in the open court; and because I was not willing the court should see the books, for there were twelve pounds worth of books in it ; but if they had been any other goods, I would have suffered it to have been broken open, and have seen whether they durst have sold them ; but because of the books, I desired my daughter to comply with them, and get the chest off as cheap as she could ; so with the help of this marshal she got the chest again, unbroken-up, for a matter of thirty-three shillings. After this it came to pass, about Michaelmas last, there came eight or ten stationers, and other officers, and some of them the king's messengers, thinking to apprehend me for the old business at the first, and as it happened my wife was not at home neither, for if she had been at home, they would have broken in, an pretending to search for me, and there were many books at that time very easy to be taken ; but she being not at home, they being very angry, went and searched the bookbinder's house for unlicenced books, so they found three of mine that were binding, and they took them away, and charged the bookbinder to bind no more; so there they fleeced thirty shillings more from me ; so now I have removed my books out of my house, and shall prevent them from taking away any more ; but now all their drift is to catch me, that they might get more money out of me, but I shall do my best endeavour to keep out of their hands, for I have not been at home to lodge these five months, nor shall not all this winter. Thus in brief you may perceive some part of the troubles I have met with this year ; and as for any spiritual matters, there is no other but what you have heard and seen ; and if there were, it would be too tedious to write the revelations of faith ; and as for parliament news, there is none here in London, nei- ther hath the parliament determined any thing yet as I hear of, only to raise money for the king ; but that way you speak of, is but talk ; as to talk, there is no such thing, neither can there be any such thing as the state of things stands now. This is all at present, being in haste, only my love, and my wife's love remembered unto yourself and your wife. nj I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, December 17, 1670. You may direct your letter to me as formerly, as your last, for my wife is always at home. S12 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mrs. El/en Sudbury, of Nottingham, bearing date January 13, l6'71. Dear Friend in the eternal Truth, Ellen Sudbury, I RECEIVED your letter, with the Quaker's letter inclosed, and I confess it hath been a long time since I sent unto you ; and I think I did receive two or three letters from you, and one or two from Mrs.. Parker, and I gave you no answer, because I had no matter of concernment to write unto you ; yet never- theless my love was .as great to. you both as ever, though I did not write unto you ; also I have hardly had time to write unto you since, for my time hath been much taken up all this summer with several Quakers that are fallen off from them, and are very firm in the belief of this commission of the Spirit, and are very well grounded in it, and their faith very firm, and none of the smallest persons neither ; yet, as some have been exalted in their minds, and settled in the knowledge of heavenly things by me, so on the contrary, some, that were exalted in their know- ledge by being in my favour, have rebelled against- me, for which rebellion they have been cast down and out of my sight, because several innocent persons were drawn aside to join in their rebellion ; but I have separated the sheep fVom the goats, that is, the obedient from the rebellious ; and this act of rebel- lion hath been in agitation this whole year, but now it is brought to a period ; and this hath taken up much time in writing and talking to other believers, 313 to satisfy them in this rebellion ; so that all are satis- fied now, and more firmly^fixed to me than before, only three or four of the grand rebels I have cast out, three cast out for ever, but one of the four repented quickly, and humbled himself, and I forgave him, but the others are hardened. And who do you think is one of the rebels ? Even Walter Bohenan the Scotch- man, his rebellion is great, for he hath joined with the other two without a cause, and he hath under- taken to plead their cause, and make their cause his own, and he hath written two base letters to other be- lievers, to persuade them to rebellion against me, and to cleave unto the Scriptures ; so that I see there is no place of repentance will be found for him ; but perhaps you may hear more of this hereafter, for it would be too large to give you an account of the par- ticulars and ground of this rebellion, therefore I shall not trouble you no further at present, only let you know we are all well at present ; so with my love and my wife's love remembered unto yourself, and to our dear friend Mrs. Parker, I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Postern, London, January 13, 1671. And as for the Quaker's letter to the woman you sent, there is nothing in it to ground any answer unto it, neither by the woman, nor none else ; they do as little children do, ask their parents such ques- tions as cannot be answered by the parents, no more than the child that asks can tell ; and do not they 2 R 314 shew their ignorance and darkness to put queries to simple ignorant women to answer, which they cannot answer themselves, for they know not how to answer those queries they have put to the woman than a dog doth ; if the mouth of the dog were opened to speak, he would say as much to those Quakers as they can ; for if they knew how to interpret those Scriptures and queries, why did they not give the women to know them while the} 7 were of their faith ; but now they be departed from them, now they come to learn knowledge of the women, and propound queries to them, as if those that depart from the Quakers people and principle are immediately en- dued with such knowledge as to answer any thing they do propound ; and for the queries themselves, they have been answered over and over again in the Quakers Neck Broken, and in Fox's Looking-Glass, the women may read the answers to the Quakers there, and save themselves a labour. But th'ere js one thing in the queries that I never heard before, that is, what complexion God is of ; as for his stature and bigness is shewed in Fox's Looking-Glass, and for his complexion I could shew that also, but what good will that do Quakers to know ; yet to satisfy you, I shall give you a little knowledge of it, what com- plexion he was of when he was upon earth, and what complexion he is of now ; as thus, God became flesh, and dwelt amongst men, as in the first of John ; like- wise when he became flesh he was a Nazarite, as the Scripture saith. Now what complexion Nazarites were of, you may see in the Lamentions of Jeremiah, chap. iv. verse 7- The words are these : The Naza- rites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in their bodies than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire. This was the complexion of * " f * *. lit iti Christ the only God when on earth ; and what com- plexion he is now of in the kingdom of glory above the stars, may be seen Revelation, chap. i. verse 13 to 16. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks John saw one like the son of man, cloathed with a garment down to the foot. 14. His head and hair icere white as wool, as white as snow ; and his eyes were like aflame of Jire. 15. And his feet like unto Jine brass, as if they burned in a fur- nace. 16. And his countenance was as the sun shining o in his strength. Here is the full and true complexion of the per- son of God in ^lorv in the kingdom of heaven above J the stars ; and this Son of Man in glory is the same Son of Man that was upon earth, even that very God, as I said before ; so that you may see what complexion God was of when on earth in mortality before he suffered death, and what complexion God is of now in the kingdom of glory ; he that can un- derstand let him receive it. But what should the women trouble themselves to give answer to the Quakers queries ? why do not the Quakers expound their riddles themselves, that people may love them for their doctrine and principle-sake, though not for their practice-sake ? They shew themselves like igno- rant foolish men, to ask wisdom of those that go out from them. And this I say unto the women, per- harps they went from them because of some evil practice among them more than for their doctrine ; but I shall not accuse them for their practice, though by the reports of them that were of them, they were wicked enough ; but as for their principle of doctrine concerning God, devil, hell, heaven, angels, and the mortality of the soul, they are alto- gether ignorant, and absolute antichristian, and great fighters against the truth of God ; and yet they talk 2 R 2 310 of truth more than any people whatsoever, but un- derstand truth least of any. I speak not this to persuade the women to believe me, neither do I do as the Quakers people do, to compel people to go to heaven whether they will or no, but leave it to the seed within them towork itself forth. I have declared the mysteries of God, and of the right devil, and many other heavenly secrets, which have lain hid from the foundation of the world, never revealed to mankind till now ; and whoever can hear and understand, will be made partakers of those heavenly truths. There is now life and death set before the women, whether they shall cleave unto the Quakers, or unto this commission of the Spirit. Now they must ven- ture their souls upon me, or upon them ; if I be true then they are false, if they be true then must I be false ; for we cannot be both true, one of us must perish to eternity. Now life and death is set before you, you must chuse or refuse which you will take ; so that they must cleave to the one, and forsake the other, else they can have no peace at all. But I shall say no more, but rest at present, ... LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. r J H S 317 A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mrs. Elizabeth Atkinson, bearing date London, February 12, 1671- Dear Friend in the Faith, Elizabeth Atkinson^ OUT of tenderness and love to the welfare and peace of your mind here in this world, that you may be the more strongly established in the assurance of eternal happiness in the life to come, I thought good to write these few lines unto you by the way of coun- sel and advice, not compelling you, or laying any bonds upon you, but wishing you as well as my own children, and as my own soul ; neither would I give you any counsel or advice, but what 1 would give unto you if you were my own natural child, as you are spiritual, being begotten by the faith of this de- claration, which is as followeth : I do hear that you are somewhat intangled in your affections with that young man I saw once at your house, as if he and you are like to make a match together. Now if the case be so, indeed your condition is not good at pre- sent, neither will it be good hereafter in this world ; for you will lose yourself exceedingly, and make ship- wreck of your present peace, and of your personal estate ; and your strong confidence of faith and know- ledge of the true God, and faith in this commission of the Spirit, will be weakened in you, and you will be- come like unto Sampson when his hair was cut ; he was strong before, but when his hair was cut he be- came weak, like another man ; and the cause of his weakness was, in that he took a Philistine woman to wife ; and what sad fruit and effect it wrought and 318 brought forth ! She was a snare unto him, and the cause that destroyed his strength : for Sampson was an Israelite, and it was unlawful for the Israelites to marry with the Philistines ; therefore that evil came to pass upon Sampson. So likewise you are an Israelite of the tribe of Levi by birth, and I can say truly, since you believe as Christ did by Nathaniel, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile ; and will you, that is an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile ; and will you stain your wisdom, knowledge, and faith, and match yourself to an Egyptian, to a dark Egyptian episcopal man, who is as dark as pitch in spiritual and heavenly knowledge. Therefore I would have you to consider these three things: first, how unsuitable this mutch will be. First, he is no way suitable to your age. Secondly, he is no way suitable to your estate. Thirdly, his faith and religion is no way suitable unto yours. Your faith is now the faith of God's elect; and your religion is to worship God in spirit and truth, free from all idol worship, which is light and life. His faith is the faith of the Egyptians, and his religion as the darkness of Egyp- tians ; and will you put light and darkness together. These things have been unlawful in the days of old, as it was by Sampson aforesaid ; and if you match with this Egyptian, as he did with the Philistine wo- man, your strength will depart from you, as his did, and you will become weak like another woman ; and that crown of wisdom, knowledge, and prudence, that hath been set upon your head, will be pulled off, and cast upon the ground, and you will be looked upon by the wise in heart as one of the foolish women. And because you are set free indeed by faith in this commission of the Spirit ; for this faith doth make you free indeed, and will you enter into the spirit of 319 bondage in Egypt again, by marrying with an Egyp- tian, whose worship is to worship a calf for his God? Consider how you will be intangled ; your compa- nions must be Egyptians, and you must dwell amongst the Egyptians, and your discourse must be the Egyp- tians language, and not the language of Canaan. For no people in the world can speak that language, though of this faith ; and when all your familiar friends about you are Egyptians, how shall any of the Israelites of this faith have any society with you. And if you shall think by your wisdom and discreet carriage to convert him to your faith after you are married unto him, you will be deceived there of your expectations ; and it will be a dangerous thing for a woman to venture that. Again, how will the Qua- kers trample over you, arid say, Elizabeth Atkinson is gone back into Egypt again, and boast themselves against me, and say, this is Muggleton's doings ; for it is like himself. But however, I can bear greater reproaches than these, as I have done in time past : therefore consider, and lay fond phantasy aside, and consider things of more weight. Let phantasy be but in one balance, and lay those three things aforesaid in the other balance, and see which will weigh hea- viest in your mind, do you choose. And farther I say, seeing you cannot fancy Henry Hall, I would advise you to stay awhile longer, and not bind your- self to any, but keep yourself free from engagements and intanglements of this nature. Providence may order things so, that you may meet with one suitable in your years, suitable in estate, and suitable in reli- gion : patience is a great virtue, and keeps the mind in peace, and doth things with deliberation and con- sideration; but phantasy runneth headlong to de- struction ; therefore I would wish you to be true to 320 your own soul, and do not dally with edge-tools, and intangle your own soul, and insnare the peace of your mind, and give way to no man, to intangle his mind, until you are resolved. For if you be true to your own self, you may resolve your own mind, and resolve him at two or three times speech with him ; for long de- lays, and often companying with a man upon that account, is dangerous; and young men, that hath nothing but nature in them, hath many by-ends to raise their fortunes, whatever men may pretend to the contrary ; and love above all things else. Yet if you were not a fortune, young men would not die for you, whatever they pretend ; and that you may know right well to your trouble, if you make trial. For that man that pretends to let a woman give away her estate to her relations, and will take her with nothing, and yet hath no estate considerable of his own, he sheweth himself to be either a fool, or a knave, or both j neither can he mean honestly, whatever is pre- tended. For if this man had any considerable per- sonal estate of his own, he need not fear having a wife with a considerable portion ; but if a man's pre- ferment dependeth upon kindred, he had need look after a wife with a considerable estate of her own ; that he may pay back that relations hath laid out for him. But I hope your wisdom will preserve you from being catched as young birds are, with chaff in- stead of good corn ; for the loss will be yours, and not mine, nor none else that hath a love for you. Thus I wishing you to mind your temporal quiet peace of mind, while you live in this world, that it may be added unto you as an hundred fold in this life, and I am sure it will not diminish the joy of the life to come, which is eternal. This I know by ex- perience, and am sensible of the inconvenience you will sustain, if this match go forwards ; but if these lines take place in you, so as to persuade you not to have that man for your husband, let me know it, by writing, or otherwise, and I shall give the best advice I can, to deliver you ; but if these lines doth not take place in you, but you are resolved to have him to your husband, let me know it, and I shall not dis- suade you from it, but leave it to yourself, to possess the comfort and the discomfort of such a match ; therefore let it be considered in your mind, and so do. I thought good to write these words, because you may read by yourself, and consider of them; because things cannot be spoken so fully by words of mouth, nor without interruption. So resteth your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. February 12, 1671. A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggletvn to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, of Chesterfield, MarchZS, l6jl. Dear Friend in the eternal truth, Dorothy Carter, THIS is to certify you, that I received your letter, dated March 16, 1671, and the enclosed I caused to be delivered as was directed; and I am very sorry for your great troubles now of late, in that you have lost your daughter, and your son; and now, 2S 322 last of all, you are seemingly entering into a greater trouble than all the rest, and what advice to give you to deliver you out of it, I cannot tell ; for I perceive you are so involved and entangled in your estate, and in your way of livelihood, by reason of your daughter's living with you, after she was married, that it will be hard to separate and divide, what is your own, and what is your son-in-law's own. These things are com- monly the fruits that parents do reap, when children do live with them when they are married. I being sensible, and having had great experience of the in- conveniencies of this, by several, it was always my advice to any friend, not to do any such thing, but would have had them to follow my example ; therefore I gave my advice to your daughter, to have one that would have delivered her, and you also, out of all those temporal troubles, as it is at this day, to that party that hath him. If she had been my own child, as she is yours, I could not have wished her better ; but she did not hearken unto me, but followed her own fancy, and loved a man that I did not know at that time ; so that I would not give her my advice in it, though desired by her; but she is gone to her rest from all her troubles in this world, and shall enter into those eternal joys, which natural eyes have not seen, nor the natural heart of man can understand. And as for this maid Mr. Goodwyn hath a mind to marry, I never saw her in my life, only I have heard a good report of her, for a civil maid, and of a good meek nature; but as to religion, I never heard she was of any ; but since she came acquainted with Mr. Goodwyn, she seemeth to have somewhat of truth in her; for I heard a letter of hers to Mr. Delamaine, and the letter was well composed, and did savour very much of truth ; so that by that letter I cannot 323 judge amiss of the maid, being of so short time stand- ing, as to her spiritual estate : likewise you may re- member your son Goodwyn, when he came first acquainted with your daughter, was as ignorant in the knowledge of truth, as this maid is, and I was unacquainted with him as I am with her ; therefore when your daughter desired my judgment of him, I would give her none in that point ; but since, you know, time hath proved that his heart is right, as to spiritual things, and as for his desiring to marry so hastily as you speak of, and forgetting your daughter so soon, you know that is a common thing with young men, and he is not the first, nor doth not marry the soonest of any. And if you would not have him marry at all, be- cause he hath two children alive by your daughter, that is something unreasonable to tie him up so close, neither was it wisdom in you to suffer any maid to come from London, to dwell with you as a servant, for bare wages, for I perceive it was he that hired her, and not you ; ' and you might well think, that no maid that hath any breeding, would have gone from Lon- don, so far into the country, for a year's wages, if Mr. Goodwyn had not been a widower : these things may be read in the hearts of men and maids, whatever is pretended ; therefore I cannot blame either of them in this thing, if they marry or not marry; but the trouble of my mind is, that you cannot be set free, and at liberty, because things are so entangled be- tween you and him : yet I perceive the trade and way of teaching scholars is in your hand, and not in his, and that his maid, if she be his wife, cannot ma- nage the business without you, neither would I wish you to give up your employment unto her, as you would have done unto your own daughter; for these 324 are both but children in law ; for you have done much good in your generation, in your time, and you are not so old yet but that you may live to do a great deal more good before you die ; you may live to see many younger than both them go before you : there- fore I would advise you to keep your own standing, and your liberty, and privileges, while you live ; and whatsoever you know is right, do unto Mr. Goodwyn, only let him know what property he hath in your estate by reason of his wife, and what property you have yourself, keep; and as for his claiming promise to give your daughter all that you have, signifies nothing now she is dead ; but if you had died before her, it is very like you might have left all your estate to her, and her children; but the case is altered now she is dead, and Mr. Goodwyn hath no ground to expect any such thing; except he were resolved to live single while you are dead, which I perceive he is not : and as for his reviving the bond of fifty pounds, that signifies little, whether he will or no, as long as he and you live ; the bond is made, I sup- pose, to you, and is in full force and virtue as long as you live, if you have the bond in your own posses- sion. These differences, I suppose, may be composed between you ; but here lieth the knot hard to be un- tied, how you two shall live together, and manage the employment together, as your own daughter and you did, seeing they are both children-in-law. Now where two are equal in power, or two mistresses, there will be some differences ; but where one doth rule, and the other a servant, there is good govern- ment; neither would I wish you, in your old age, to become servant to any, except it be to your better advantage. And it is with you two, much like as it was with Abraham and Lot, one land could not bear 325 them ; so one house cannot hold two families, being both of one profession ; and which way to separate you two is hard to judge, except you be both willing, as Abraham and Lot was, to let Lot take to the right hand, or to the left. Now you are in Abraham's state, and Mr. Goodwyn is in Lot's state, and it is to be feared, that if he goes from you, he will go into Sodom, as Lot did ; that is, he cannot manage the way of schooling without you, and his own trade will not be sufficient for a livelihood; and how to per- suade you to do to a daughter-in-law, as you did by your own, I cannot press you to it ; for I could not do it, if I were in your condition ; for you must ex- pect, in time, young children by her, as you did by your own, neither can I persuade you to do as Sarah did by Hagar, to cast out the bond-woman, and her son, for he shall not be heir with her son ; so the children of this woman cannot be heir of your affec- tion and estate, as the children of your own daughter. Here I have opened the state of this matter, as far as I understand by your letter, so that you may see in part what my mind is, so far as I understand in this matter ; but if there be any other secret contracts, covenants, or promises between Mr. Goodwyn and you, since your daughter died, or before, I am igno- rant of it, and ignorant how you, being two families, lived as one, and how your gettings was, and how her gettings was, and yet kept union as one, I am altogether ignorant ; but I suppose it cannot be so now ; therefore I cannot give no absolute judgment, what you shall do in this case ; but I shall leave it to yourself, to do whatsoever seemeth best for your own peace and quietness of mind, while you live in this world, as I did by your own daughter ; but you have 326 not that tie of nature to bind you now, as you had then. This is all at present, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered unto yourself, and to Betty Mars- den, and Betty Slater, and all friends else. I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, March 23, 1671. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodomckc Muggleton to Mrs. Ellen Stedbury, bearing date April 7, 1671? directed to Nottingham. Dear Friend in the true faith of Jesus, Ellen Sudbury, I RECEIVED your letter, dated March 28, with the enclosed to Mr. Hatter, which, he coming to my house at that time your letter came, I gave it to him, and which he was very glad to see ; and he, reading of mine, was the more refreshed in his mind to hear of your love, faith, and steadfastness in this commission of the Spirit. Also I shewed it to my daughter, and to others of the faith, which do much rejoice at your faith and satisfaction you have in the understanding of the truth, in that you are made partakers with us in the like precious faith, which doth consist in the right understanding of the true God, and the right devil, the rise of the two seeds, 327 and the distinction of the three commissions, which no man in the world doth know at this day, but the believers of this commission of the Spirit only, be- cause they have true spiritual foundation as a rock ; but their foundation is upon the sand, even all the teachers of the world, and the Quakers' principle or foundation is the worst of all ; though it seemeth to be the best of all in righteousness of life, yet the worst of all in point of doctrine, and that they will find in the end, that they may flourish for a time; for no Quaker, nor any other that hath heard of this com- mission of the Spirit, and of the doctrine declared by it, and doth not understand it, and believe it, that can be saved, let their holiness of life be ever so much ; for God hath no regard unto the righteousness of life, except it doth proceed from faith in the true God, which no Quaker, nor any other man hath, but those that have faith in this commission of the Spirit ; therefore it is that they do all fight against the true God, and against this commission of the Spirit : but I am refreshed at your experience and growth in grace and knowledge of the true God, in that you have eyes, and can see : as Christ said to his disci- ples, Blessed are your eyes, for they see ; for many have eyes, but they see not. Also I am glad to see that your understanding is enlightened to see the true inter- pretation of the Scriptures, which is given by this commission of the Spirit; and this book of the llth of the Revelations is very little else but interpreta- tions of many places of Scripture, besides the chap- ter itself, which will enlighten the understanding in the knowledge of the Scriptures, more than all that hath been written before ; therefore I have sent you three of them, because if there should be any other besides yourself that should have any affection to 328 them, that they may have one ; but I shall leave that to your discretion, do what you will with them. I received a letter from Edward Frewterell, and your aunt Carter, with the money, bearing date March 19, 1671, but I have not sent them an answer as yet, nor no books ; but I do intend to send this week, if the carrier be in town ; but as for my coming down into the country, I do much rejoice at your's and your aunt Carter's affections in desiring me to come, which I do intend to do, but I think it will be about James-tide ; for I 'must go into Cambridgeshire about Midsummer, and after I have been there I do intend to see you : so being in haste, I rest your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Mr. Hatter and my daughter remember their love to you, with several others of the faith. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Mugglcton to Mr. Charles Cleve, Mr. Thomas Parke, Mr. Francis Hampson, all of Cambridge, bearing date AprilU, 16?1. Loving Friends in the true Faith, Charles Clcve, Thomas Parke, and Mr. Hampson, I UNDERSTOOD, by Mr. Hampson, that you three are in some trouble, and like to be in more 329 for not going to church. Also I perceive, you are disputing and reasoning among yourselves, whether you may not go to hear common prayer once or twice, to save yourselves from sufferings, seeing you do not deny your faith, neither do you suffer for your faith, only you would have my judgment in it. First. As to this, my judgment is, that I cannot consent to any such thing ; for you may as well go twenty times, or always, as once : for, if the image of Baal be set up, and you bow your knee before him once, you may as well do it always. Also you must mind this, that there must be some witness that you bowed your knee to Baal, else your suffering will be nevertheless. For to hear common prayer at your own church is part of worship to God, and it is the image set up in England for all people to bow to and worship ; therefore consider what privilege this faith hath given you, and what sufferings it hath freed you from, in that it gave you peace of mind as to your eternal happiness ; it hath freed you from formal bondage of worship ; it hath delivered you from being tied up to meetings, as all others are : it hath pre- served you from those sufferings, which have cost many one their lives : it hath given you liberty to pay tithes, and to defend yourselves by law, to keep yourselves from imprisonment and sufferings. You have only been tied up to do justly between man and man, to the utmost of your power, and to worship God in spirit and truth. Only now you must consider, it is one thing to worship Baal by compulsion, for fear of sufferings ; what do you else but to take the mark of the beast in your right-hand ? And always, when you look upon the palm of your right-hand, there you will see the mark of the beast ; for it will be printed in your 2 T 330 minds, and the remembrance of it will remain to your Jives end. And who would defile a pure conscience for fear of such a slight suffering as this ? For it reacheth not to inflict any punishment upon the body ; neither is there any resistance unto death, as hath been in other times for smaller matters than this. Also consider those three believers in Kent, who had the blessing of John Reeve; yet they, for fear of suf- fering and presumption together, because they had the blessing, they said, they could not be damned to eternity. So they bowed down themselves three times (that is, at church to Baal) and then gave over. But what hath been the effects of it ? Since nothing but crosses, sickness, weakness, poverty and beggary hath, and is still, the fruits that action hath brought forth ; besides, the author of hope is eaten over with rust in them. Also consider that loving and good man Dovey at his death ; did any thing trouble him but his going to church ? Poor man, he lost his peace by it, though I am persuaded the man will be happy, because he was true to the commission ; but it would have been better for him to have had eternal life abiding in himself, and I should have been more joy- ful also. And if you shall reason in yourselves, that some that own this commission, and look to be saved by it, and yet can, and do go to church to save them- selves, as Philip Williams and Goodman Singleton. To this I answer and say, it is to be considered, that these men were never off from the church, be- cause of one office or other in the parish where they lived, and therefore were under the more snares ; and therefore, as Christ said, the more hard for a rich man to enter info the kingdom of heaven ; indeed they have been men that have been rather for truth than against it, and so I have had a love for all such men, as tho 331 Lord himself had also. I know it is possible with God, though not with man, to make a rich man ven- ture all his riches to worship God in spirit and truth, and to forsake all idolatrous worship, in hopes of ever- lasting life ; but it is impossible with me, that am but a man, to do it. For let not men deceive themselves, it is not half the heart for God, and the other half for the world ; for God will have the whole heart, or none. And he that seeketh to save his life by a false worship, or wrong means, shall lose it ; and would you be contented with such a faith as theirs is, to give one half of the heart to God, and the other half to the world ? I tell you, God will have all the heart, or none. And a man shall know in himself whether he hath given God his whole heart, by casting up what it will cost him. And if he is willing to give all that he hath for truth's sake, if it be required : for the whole heart carries all along with it; then shall he have his heart given him again, and all that he hath lost for his sake, shall be given him again in this life, and in the life to come, life everlasting. And except this be, a man cannot have the perfect assurance of eternal life abiding in him, but shall have sometimes hopes and sometimes fears. Also this you are to con- sider, that you have been kept innocent and pure, and have not committed spiritual fornication these many years, and would you now defile your con- science with idols ? Oh ! let your faith be steadfast, and have its perfect work in your souls, and hold out to the end, that you may receive the crown of life, which God will give you at that day, which will not be as an hour unto you after death before you are in possession of it. I would advise you not to appear, for you will be condemned, and then your cause will be the worse ; but keep out of the way at sessions-time, and if you 2T2 332 be arrested afterwards, go to prison, and never put in bail for your appearance ; if you do, your cause will be far worse. And as for Thomas Parke being a sin- gle man, he may keep out of the way all this summer ; perhaps by next October things may alter. And as for Charles Cleve, if he find, when he is in prison, that there is no getting off without his utter undoing of his family, and destroying the peace of his own mind; let him cause all his goods and estates to be sold, and do what he will with it, and let his wife and children be all turned upon the parish, and let him live in prison himself: for, if he go to prison uncon- demned, he shall have full power to sell his goods, and do what he will with them ; but if he be con- demned by a court, then he cannot, but they will seize upon his goods for such a parcel of money as they have judged him to pay, and take twice as much goods. And as for Mr. Hampson, he being better able in the world than you, let him keep out of the way in sessions-time, though he do lose trade for a little season, except he can employ one that he can entrust the while ; and if he be arrested afterwards, let him put in no bail to the serjeant. If a bribe will not serve them, let him go to prison, and he will come off for a great deal less charges, being not condemned by a court, and save his conscience from any engage- ments ; but if you are not able to endure a prison at all, then I cannot tell what to say to you, but must leave you to your own heart's disposing. This is the best advice I can give you to save your- selves here, and keep the peace of your minds : for I cannot promise to free you from all troubles. Your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. April 24, 1671. 333 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Alexander Delamaine, senior, bearing date from Southampton, June 8, 16J1. Loving and kind friend in the eternal truth, Mr. Delamaine, MY love remembered unto you, and to your wife. This is to certify you, that I delivered your letter unto our friends in the faith, and they were glad to hear it, and do much rejoice in reading your letters. Mr Fisher the elder hath been very ill, and is something crazy still ; he is now at Southampton, but his son, the young man, and William Pedley, and myself, are in the country at the old man's house, very private, and they are very well, and do kindly remember their loves unto you, and to your wife. There is nothing here of any concernment to write of, but all is still and quiet. Therefore I shall say no more at present, only de- sire you, that if my wife hath any occasion of business, or necessity to write to me, before the 21st of June, that you would be pleased to write it for her ; but if there be no great necessity, do not put yourself to that trouble ; for I do intend to be in London the 21st of this month. Pray give this letter to my wife, cut it asunder, and give it her. So resteth your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON; June 5, 1671. 334 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodoicicke Muggleton to Mr. George Gamble, a Merchant in Cork, in Ireland : the first to him after he came to set his seal to the true faith. Bearing date from London, March 6', 16'72. Friend, George Gamble, I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date February 14, 16J2, and am glad to hear of your health, and the more, because I did hear, by a Quaker, that you were very sick, like to die : this was a little after Christmas. William Penn sent one of his books against me, and a letter with it, by one of the Quakers, to deliver it into my own hands : and when the man had delivered them into my hand, he asked me, when thou heardest from George Gamble, in Ireland ? I said, I had not heard from you a great while, but once since you were here in London. He asked me by whom? I told him by Benjamin Capp ; he said he knew him. Why, said I, do you ask? Said he, we did hear he is sick, like to die. I said, I heard nothing of it ; so the man parted. And, as soon as the man was gone, it came into my mind, why he asked about you ; it was, because the Quakers would have been glad in their hearts if you had been dead indeed ; because they might have had occasion to ground a belief, that God's judgments did follow you so suddenly after you forsook the Quakers principles, and did cleave to Muggleton's doctrine, because several of the Quakers have died in a little time after they were 33* damned by me : so they would willingly have some to die that fall from them ; looking upon it as a curse upon them for falling away from their prin- ciples. But I see their hopes is prevented, and that you are in health, and not only so, but that the seed of faith in you is risen, even as the sun riseth, and hath shined in your heart, and hath given you to see that light of life eternal, in that you have faith to believe in the true God, and to love God ; for no man can love God, but he that knows God ; and no man can know God but by faith. And it is life eter- nal to know the true God and Jesus Christ, which is sent ; that is, it is life eternal to know this Jesus Christ that is sent to be the true God, as we have unfolded in our writings, and that you do now believe in this commission, and that I am a true prophet, it is well for you that you was ever born ; that your eyes of your understanding are opened, to let the light of life shine into your heart, in that you can be made capable to receive a prophet's reward ; which reward is no less than the blessing of ever- lasting life. For prophets that are chosen, and sent of God, have eternal life always with them, that whosoever believeth their report, are made par- takers of it. And it hath been a saying in old time, when prophets were more in request than now, how beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of peace and salvation. But now there is but one prophet in these last times, and shall never be no more true to the end of the world. All professors of religion do say almost in their hearts, let this prophet depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of his ways, nor doctrine, because he is alive, to reprove us when we blaspheme against God, and against him ; but give us those dead 336 prophets and their doctrine, that cannot make answer for themselves ; let us say what we will, they will let us alone, and say nothing to us. This is the nature of reason in most people, to love and honour prophets when they are dead, but to hate and despise prophets that are alive. Likewise you say, that one Christopher Baton should say and affirm, that when I had given him the sentence, that he should never see, after the sentence, with his natural eye. This is as false a lie as ever was spoken ; I never cursed the natural eye-sight of any person in all my life. But this I might say to him, as I have said to several, that I have given sentence upon, that after the sentence is given he should never see the face of God, nor the faces of elect men and angels, nor his own face, in the life to come, to eternity : so that he should see, in the life to come, no other God or judge, but that sentence I had given him, that should remain upon him to eternity ; and he shall, in the resurrection, never stir from the place he is raised in utter darkness, where there is no light to answer the light of the eye. For there must be two lights, that in light we see light, else nothing can be seen ; for one light can never see any thing of itself. As for example, though a man have light in the eye, yet, except there be day-light, fire, or candle-light, or spine other light, to answer the light of the eye, the eye-light can see nothing, but is in darkness. Likewise, sup- pose a man be blind, and hath no light in his eyes, let the sun-light be ever so clear and bright, it makes not the blind eyes to see, and darkness is as good to him as light. This is that sentence I did pass upon him, and the blindness he should suffer in titter darkness to eternity, for his blasphemy against 337 the Holy Ghost. And this lie shall be sure to suffer according to my word, and it will not be a quarter of an hour after this life before he see the truth of that sentence upon him, let him flatter himself what he can. It hath been no new thing for hundreds of the seed of the serpent to belie, slander, and re- proach me without a cause : for I never did any evil as to the breach of any law written in my heart in all my life. I never did any man wrong ; yet all men, that are professors, speak evil of me, revile and per- secute me, either in words or deeds, and for no other cause in the world, but because God hath chosen me, and hath given me wisdom and understanding of his mind in the Scriptures above all men, and authority to give sentence upon blasphemers. This is the cause I am so hated of the world, but wisdom is justified of her children. As for William Penn's Book, the Quakers are very brag of it ; yet there is no true wisdom in it at all, but some of the subtil serpent's wisdom there is in it, to make people more blind than they are by nature ; and it will appear so to those who have the true light in them, when I have answered it ; which perhaps may be towards the latter end of this summer. I would before, but I have promised to see some friends in Leicestershire, Nottingham, and other parts that wa} r , which will take up the former part of this summer. I shall go in the middle of April, and, according to your desire, I have sent you a copy of Penn's letter to me, and a copy of Thomas Lee's letter to me, and a copy of a letter sent to me by a friend from Nottingham, that you may see and judge the better of it (in regard it was written by one that liveth there) than by my writing 2 U 338 it by report, therefore I will give it you verbatim as it is sent to me. I shall not enlarge further at this time, but take leave ; only desiring you to remember my kind love to Colonel Phaire, and his wife and family, and to all those there with you, that do love and believe the Lord Jesus, that was put to death without the gates of Jerusalem ; who died, and rose again, and ascended up to heaven, to be the very true God and everlast- ing Father, Creator, and Redeemer of those that are saved by his own blood. Also my love, and my wife's love, presented unto yourself, and to Joseph Moss, I rest, Your Friend in the eternal Truth of a personal God, God Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. George Gamble, This is to certify you, that I received the ten pounds you ordered for books, and I have sent you 17 at 18*. a-piece, which comes to 8/. 10s. Od. and I gave to Mr. Godfrey, for 1? of the Mortality of the Soul, 26s. 6d. and the postage of letters, and the box, and other trifling things, comes to 4s. 6d. This is the account of the 107. I received upon your bill. And seeing it is not convenient to direct your letters in my name, you may direct them to Mr. Alexander Delamain, at the Sign of the Three Tobacco Pipes, on Bread Street-hill, -near Queen- Hithe, and it will come safe to me. ' The Postern, London, March 6, 1672. 339 A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggkton to Mr. Jeremiah Moss, Physician, living in Cork, in Ireland, being the first after his believing the Commission of Truth, bearing date from London, March 6, 1672. Loving Friend in the true Faith, Jeremiah Moss, I RECEIVED your letter, dated February 14, 1672, wherein I perceive that this record of the Spirit doth take place in the hearts of several in those parts ; and doth give satisfaction to the minds of those that believe, and doth dissatisfy the repro- bates. Indeed, words of truth are like a two-edged sword, that cut both ways; and he, that hath a com- mission from God, hath power as the Apostles had, as may be seen in the Acts : some were pricked or cut to the heart for their conversion and salvation, as in Acts ii. and 37th verse. Others again, by the words of truth, were cut to the heart for the con- vincing of them of the sin of unbelief; witnessing to their consciences, that they were reprobates, and would be damned to eternity, as in Acts vii. and 54th verse. So that true prophets, and true minis- ters of Christ, their words are spirit and life, to con- vert some, to open the eyes of their minds that were blind, and to let the light of life eternal shine into their hearts, in giving them the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ; that is, that Jesus Christ is the brightness of God's glory, because his face is the very true God's face ; and this light of faith doth shine into the hearts of many, 2 U2 by the declaration or preaching of them whom God sends. And, on the contrary, this declaration is a savour of death unto death unto the seed of the ser- pent, in that words of truth do blind the eyes of them that think they see, and hardeneth their hearts, lest the word of truth should take place in them ; and it maketh their ears heavy, or deaf, even as an adder ; so that in hearing, they cannot hear nor understand ; and in seeing, they may not perceive any truth in a prophet's words ; and having hearts, but not understanding any heavenly or spiritual things, they despise and blaspheme against them, even the doctrine of the true God, lest they should be converted, and be healed with the assurance of everlasting life in themselves. Likewise you say, we think not the liberty convenient with you, which the believers with us take in passing sentence on those that blaspheme against the Holy Ghost. As to this, I never laid any bonds upon any believer, to give sentence upon any for blasphemy, except their faith be strong enough in themselves to believe, with- out doubting, that such a one is damned. For, if a man give sentence, and afterwards doubts, that sen- tence returns on a man's own head, and the party, so sentenced, is freed from the power of his curse. Neither shall I lay any bonds upon you, there to force you to give sentence upon despising, blasphem- ing spirits; if your own faith doth not move you to it, or is not strong enough in you to give sentence, then you may let it alone. But this I say, whoever doth hear men and women speak evil against this blessed truth, in despising and blaspheming against the Holy Ghost, and a man shall really believe that such a one hath sinned the unpardonable sin that shall never be forgiven in this world, nor in the world 341 to come, and hold his peace, it sheweth a great weakness of faith in that person. For, if a man be saved by believing such a truth, and being glad in his heart, that he did not stir against the Holy Ghost himself, and doth hear others blaspheme against that truth he is saved by, and yet holdeth his peace, it sheweth much weakness of faith in that person. Besides, if all believers of this commission should be so weak in faith, then the devils might blaspheme against God without controul, and think they did well in it ; so that none could receive the sentence for blasphemy but such as come to me: but where I give sentence upon one, there is ten that have the sentence given them for blaspheming by the believers of this commission of the Spirit, both here m London, and several parts in other countries, and their faith is made the stronger, by giving sentence every where upon despising spirits of truth ; and when they neglect to give sentence, for some by- ends, for blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, their minds are troubled for neglect, and doth eclipse and weaken their own confidence ; so that by this means the devils are met withal every where, because most of the believers here in England do give sen- tence upon the seed of the serpent, as they have occasion in discourse. And they are more justified in themselves than those that do not ; and they are justified by me in so doing, rather than those that .shall hear the devils rage, rail, and blaspheme, and say nothing to them. Seeing it is not convenient to direct your letters in my name, you may direct your letters to me thus : for Mr. Alexander Delamain, at the sign of the Three Tobacco Pipes, on Bread Street-hill, near Queen- hith*, and it will come .safe to me. 342 Thus, with my love, and my wife's love, remem- bered unto yourself, with my love to Colonel Phaire, his wife and family, and to all friends else there with you, I take leave, and rest, Your friend in the true faith of Jesus, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Postern, London, March (5, 1672. A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggkton to Mrs. Preston, of Little Tower-hill, Mrs. Hcnns Mother, and to her Father likewise, dated in London, May 14, 16?2. Mr. Preston, and Mrs. Preston your Wife, I THOUGHT good to write these lines unto you both, but more especially unto your wife, because I have seen her once, and never but once, and she hath seen me once, and talked with me, but as for the man I did not know that ever I did see him, or he me, but I make no question but Mrs. Preston hath heard of me by the writings, and by the reports of several other people, who are for the generality my enemies : but I have learned to go through evil report as well as good report : but the occasion of my writing unto you at this time is 343 concerning your daughter Elizabeth Atkinson, and my speech is chiefly unto your wife, that if it were possible that the mother and the daughter might be reconciled together again, for I under- stand there hath been and is a great deal of trouble upon both your spirits about the match. Now I would have you to know, that this match was altogether contrary to my mind, as my letter to your daughter doth shew, if she hath shewed it you ; it may come to pass that you may see it either of her or of me hereafter, and that will declare the truth of this matter more fully. First, I have been true-hearted unto your daughter ever since I came acquainted with her, and have wished her as well as my own children, and as my own soul : and if she had been my own child, as she is yours, I could not have given her better council than I have done : and what did I respect her so for, but because I saw she had a very good natural wisdom in her, and that she had the good seed of faith in her, but it was not then risen in her : but after awhile the seed of faith sprang up in her in heavenly wisdom, know- ledge, and understanding, which was a crown of glory unto her head : but the crown is fallen off now by reason of this match, and the crown of reproach set upon her head in the room thereof by many of her enemies, and a great dislike to several of her own faith, and 1 perceive an extraordinary grief to you her parents, insomuch as I hear you, her mother, hath renounced her, so as not to own her for your child : and further, that you have made a covenant and promise in your passion and anger, that you might never enter into the kingdom of heaven if you received her in favour, or. own her to be your child. Again, to this purpose or words, I perceive 344 you speak, and promised in your anger and passion. Now let me speak a few words between the mother and the daughter, and consider the trouble and tor- ment of rash words and promises that are made out of anger and passion, they bring nothing but hell unto the mind, because they are groundless. Consider the rash oath and promise that Herod the King made, Mark iv and xxvi : but when he saw the woeful effects of that oath, he was exceedingly sorrowful ; and for the sakes of them that were with him, he gave her John Baptist head. Now did not this wicked oath take away the life of the greatest prophet that was born of woman ? And it brought hell-fire upon the conscience of Herod, and an extraordinary plague and punishment in this life, besides his eter- nal damnation ; therefore, beware and take heed how you perform the rash vows and promises made in passion and anger ; yet I confess vows and pro- mises made unto the Lord, or to man, ought to be performed, else punishment will follow, but vows and promises made out of passion or anger ought to be broke I confess it is an evil to make any vow at all out of passion and anger, but it is better to break that vow and covenant than to keep it, for it is better to err on the right hand than on the left; that is, if you break it you may find mercy and for- giveness, but if you perform it there is no hope of mercy nor forgiveness, no more than there was to Herod aforesaid. Also I would have you to consider, that your daughter's crime is not so heinous against you, her mother, as you take it to be, for she hath broken no law of God, nor law of the land, nor law of her parents ; but what she hath done hath been against her own soul, it hath wounded her own spirit, and hath broken her own peace ; she hath spoiled 345 the treasures of rest and satisfaction in her own soul, and she must bear her own sorrow, and none to help bear her burthen, but rather add unto it, by exclud- ing her unworthy of pity and compass-ion, even of her own parents, through anger and passion, without a cause ; for she hath committed no evil to her parents in this thing, because she was a free woman, and hath had two husbands before, and hath not been under her parents tutoring, but hath been free of herself, to give her person to whom she will, and her estate ; nor no others can hinder her, it is all in her own power : likewise she hath done nothing against God nor his laws in this matter, because there was no command laid upon her, neither by God, nor by his prophet, to the contrary ; and for the law of the land, that doth justify her in it altogether ; so that all the evil she hath done in this matter it is to her- self, and to nobody else, as I said before ; only this is her evil and trouble, that she did not hearken to the voice of Heaven, or to his prophet's advice on earth ; and here lieth her trouble ; but now the ting is done, and advice rejected, and cannot be un- done again. What then is to be done unto her ? I say, even to forgive her, and to make her burthen as light as may be ; so that I have considered and weighed the whole matter, and considered her condition, and have forgiven her neglect to answer my letter, and all things else that have impaired the peace of her mind as to life eternal ; and she shall be settled as in peace of mind as to life eternal as ever, and that will make her life the more comfortable in the tem- poral ; for I had compassion on her when I saw her troubled mind, because her faith was in me, and mine in her, so that she is forgiven of God, and for- given of his true prophet also. I would you, her 2 X 346 father and mother, to forgive your only daughter, and to receive her into your favour again, and let her be as precious in your eyes as ever. Do as that good father did, as Christ speaks of in the parable, that had two sons; the one lost for a time, and when he was in want, he said in his heart, / izill return, and say unto my father I have sinned against heaven, and against thee, and am no more icorthy to be called thy Son. His father doth not dis- pute with his son, and ask him what hath thou done, in that thou wen test from me, or did any evil while he was gone ; but he fell upon his neck and kissed him, and killed the fatted calf for him. This was always my practice to my own children, and I have had more experience in this kind than ever you had with your daughter ; therefore let this thing be done by you her mother, and let not your rash unad- vised promise or vow, you made out of passion and anger, hinder you ; for I understand she hath sent messengers as advocates to plead with you for for- giveness, and that your daughter hath humbled her- self by them, to crave your favour and forgiveness, but you would not hearken to them, nor have no compassion upon the affliction of the soul of your daughter ; likewise, that she hath sent to you a letter of her own hand writing, to crave your pardon and forgiveness, and to accept her into your favour; yet all will pot prevail with you, but seemeth as if you could not for your oath sake. You are here just in Herod's condition ; and if you should put it in practice as he did, you will be something like him hereafter, though not altogether so bad as his, because your oath will not produce so bad effects as hjs did; but you will have hell enough in your mind here, besides what will follow hereafter ; therefore I 347 would desire, and provoke you to hearken to my advice, and you shall do well, and be cleared of your oath. And though I be but a mortal man like yourselves, yet, being a chosen prophet of the Lord, it shall be as well with you, if you believe God, obey my voice, as if God himself had spoken to you ; therefore I say unto you, break that oath and cove- nant that you made with hell and death, in the anger and passion of your mind, concerning this matter, and receive your daughter into favour again ; and let her be taken into your affections again, even as one that was dead, and is alive again ; and I will assure you your sin, in making such an oath as this shall be forgiven you of God, and forgiven by his prophet, and be forgiven in your own conscience, and you shall be clear from this oath, as if you had never spoken it ; but if you will not hearken to my advice in this thing, but harden your heart against itj and say within yourself, that it is but mortal man's advice, and that you are loth to believe, except God himself, or some angel from heaven, did advise you ; 1 tell you this, that neither God him- self, nor angel from heaven, will never speak unto you, nor unto no man else upon the earth at this day, therefore do not expect any such thing ; for if you will not believe me, you would not believe if one should come from heaven and speak unto you ; therefore consider of it, and so do, if you do not hearken unto my words ; however, your daughter shall have peace of mind, and you shall bear the trouble upon your own mind ; but if you do hearken unto my words and advice, then both you and yours may be full ; but in case you do not hearken unto my words, your daughter shall have peace of mind, and be cleared of her guilt, and cause of your rash oath and promise, and you shall bear all the trouble upon your ownmind ; for whathath parents to do with children that are free as themselves, but to forgive them their offences ; the law of God and the law of nature doth bind parents to have a care of their chil- dren, and to forgive them their offences, and not to cast them off and disown them in a passion ; but children are not bound to have a care of parents ; but if you do hearken unto my words and advice in this thing, and receive your daughter with the same love and affection as you did before this offence was given, you then shall be freed, and clear from any guilt of conscience, concerning your vow and pro- mise in this matter, as if you had never made any at all ; and then may your daughter and you both joy both be full. So resteth your friend in what I may, . LODOW1CKE MUGGLETON. May 14, 1672. A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodozvicke Muggleton to Mrs. Elizabeth Manden, of Chester- fald, May 20, 1672. Dear Friend in the true Faith, Elizabeth Marsden. ' I UNDERSTAND, by Mrs. Carter, you are very sickly and weakly, and that you have had very bad health ever since you were married, and much dis- ' ' ; n n') ' f ' li ,..!'._. - : ^ - J !> content of mind ; and that you have a desire that I would pray for you, and that you might see my face once more before you go hence. I am very sorry to hear of your illness of body, and more espe- cially that you should have discontent of mind ; for it is a common thing to young women, that are breeding, to be sickly and weakly, neither can it be avoided ; and discontent of mind doth add further to the weakness of nature ; and peace and quietness of mind doth strengthen nature. For thoughts of peace and patience send forth strength into the blood, and strengthens nature, and makes it strong to encounter with sickness and weakness of nature, that discontent and grief hath produced in the body. So that dis- content and content of mind doth produce both their several effects ; so that the case is thus, as Christ said in another case, To him that hath shall be given, and to him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that which he hath ; viz. To him that hath peace and con- tent of mind, to him shall be given more peace and content of mind ; because content and peace grows in him. And to him that hath not that, that hath no peace nor content of mind, but a little hope in him to attain to peace, even that little hope shall be taken from him, in that this discontent in the mind shall grow so strong, to swallow up all peace and content of mind into it, until it brings in death; and in this sense he hath not peace ; even that little, or nothing, which he hath, shall be taken from him ; that is, discontent shall take peace from him. I speak this that you may beware of discontent, and let not that enter into you concerning worldly things ; for wordly fr sorrow causeth death: and I suppose it is wordly things that caused this discontent in you, and there is no removing it out of you, but by putting . 350 heavenly peace and content in the place. Let pa- tience possess your soul : patience is a great virtue, and keeps the mind in peace; and remember the days of old, wherein I blessed you unto everlasting life. Likewise I have considered your faith and love to the commission of the Spirit, in the day wherein you were but as a child for age ; and my faith and love hath continued in you ever since, and shall uphold you. Also I blessed you to eternity when you were young, and that blessing shall remain with you to eternity. Therefore let not your faith fail you in it, but look upon it as the blessing of Almighty God himself; for God hath given power to men to bless and curse to eternity. Therefore, let no doubt arise in your heart of your eternal happiness, and that will be a means to strengthen your nature, and to root out your discon- tent of mind, and settle your mind in patience and submission to the troubles of this world ; and then your illness and weakness of nature will be either better borne, or your nature will be more strengthened to bear the troubles of this life. And this will be as a prayer unto God for you ; for my commission is not to pray for temporal blessings : I never did pray for temporal blessings for myself; but the spiritual blessing of peace with God, and assurance of eternal life, hath always helped and strengthened me in the natural ; and so it hath several others of this faith, and so it shall you ; therefore let faith and patience have its perfect work in you, and you will do well. And as for your desire to see my face once more be- fore you go hence : to this I say, I could have been very glad to have seen your face this summer, and did intend to have seen the faces of all our friends in those parts this summer; but here are new 351 troubles fallen out here in London since Christmas, of wars and rumours of wars at sea, and pressing of men, that it is like to be a very bad summer with most people for want of trade, both by sea and land ; so that I think not to go out of London this summer. Besides, my wife is to go into Kent, to see her rela- tions, this summer ; and I am loth to leave the house with nobody in it. But, however, be you of good comfort ; it shall be well with you in the end, though you never see me more. Yet you may not be with- out hope of that ; for providence may order things so, that I may see your face, and the faces of others, to my joy hereafter, and yours; for I am well at present, and I trust you may be preserved in health. So, with the blessing of the true God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the blessing of the true prophet rest upon you, and preserve you, both in this life, and in the life to come. I rest Your friend in the true Faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, London, May 20, 1672. P.S. My wife remembers her love unto you. i . ; injii bn: A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowickc Muggleton to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, of Chesterfield, dated August 30, l6?2, asjolloweth. Dear Friend in the eternal Truth, Dorothy Carttr, I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date August 19th, 1672. And these are to certify you, that I am very well in health at present, and so is my wife, and most friends also here in London. I was indeed at Cambridge at Whitsuntide, about a month, and after I came from thence, my wife went into Kent to see her relations ; and she returned again two weeks since, so that now we have done with the country for this year. And as for your dream you spoke of, I perceive you give too much heed unto it, and do let your naind be too much exercised in the belief of it ; I do confess in times past, that some dreams have been of great concernment, when it hath concerned the glory of God, as Joseph, in his dream, saw the sun, moon, and eleven stars bow down themselves unto him, that was his father and mother, and eleven brethren, should bow themselves unto him. Also that dream of Pharaoh King of Egypt, was of gret concernment for the glory of God ; likewise the dream of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon was of great concernment for the glory of God, when interpreted by Daniel ; likewise Joseph, when he was espoused to the Virgin Mary, he was forewarned by an angel in a dream, not to put away his wife. Other places might be named, so that in the days of old, 353 and in times past, some dreams have been of great concernment, and have been much minded ; so that the interpreter of dreams hath been highly honoured of God, and honoured of kings, and of all men ; not he that dreamed a dream, but he that could inter- pret dreams. Also let this be considered, that dreams have been always minded in such a time when there was no prophet upon the earth; as Joseph, when he dreamed a dream, it was before the law of Moses was given ; and that dream of Pharaoh king of Egypt, interpreted by Joseph, it was before Moses, the first prophet that God chose : and that dream of the king of Babylon, which Daniel did interpret, it was when there was no prophet in Israel ; for Daniel lived among the heathen, for it was the heathen that did generally mind, take notice, and follow dreams. Therefore, when they were frightful of dreams, they sought to their magicians and astro- logers to interpret their dreams, and those were all the prophets the heathens had ; and as for Joseph being forewarned in a dream by the angel, it was when there was no prophet nor apostle upon the earth. Therefore this is to be minded, that dreams ought not to take place in any man's heart, that is a believer in a commission, or in a true prophet : for those that followed the law of Moses, and hearkened to the prophets, never heeded dreams, nor minded them at all. So after Christ came, and the apostles commission was be-ieved, they never minded dreams so as to trouble their thoughts about them : so like- wise we that are under the commission of the Spirit, are not to mind them at all ; for, if a dream does arise in a man's sleep, let him tell it as a dream, but let him give no credit nor heed unto it, for dreams will arise through the occasion of troubles and griefs, 2 Y 354 and if they are not minded, they will pass away as if they had never been ; for this I can say, I have had many such like dreams as yours is, but gave no heed unto them, for I know your mind hath been exercised of late with many troubles and grief of heart, in the death of your daughter and son, and other troubles which hath overwhelmed your spirit ; and grief hath raised this dream out of your troubled soul. Therefore I say unto you, take no heed to your dream, but be of good comfort, that your days may be continued in this world, to do yet some more good before you go hence ; knowing that you shall receive a portion in that everlasting kingdom above the stars, which is not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens, because you have believed his pro- phet's report. As for my advice about Sarah Hatter, it is, that you would keep her till her time is out, and if you will not keep her longer, you must turn her home to her father, and her father must provide some other place for her, for he is not able to give her diet for a year, not for a week, as I can perceive ; poor man, he cannot give himself diet, (not half enough) but goeth with many an hungry meal in a month, nay in a week, for ought I can perceive. Therefore, I would advise you to take no thought for her, what she shall do when you are gone ; leave that to provi- dence, your conscience bears you witness, and so doth his conscience bear witness, that you have been more like a mother than a mistress while you lived ; and while you do live, let that satisfy as to that matter. I am glad to hear that Betty Marsden is pretty well, let her be of good comfort, and all will be well with her, both in this world, and in the world to come. I do intend, if providence permit, to come to Not- 355 tingham, and perhaps to Chesterfield, the next spring ; and then I intend to see you I hope all well, to my joy and comfort. Before I close this letter, I will give you a little hint of that which hath hap- pened here in London, amongst the believers of this commission of the spirit, (it is above a year since it first begun, it may be you have heard nothing of it. There hath been a great rebellion against me, for some hard words that I have spoken in discourse, some have gathered them up together, and laid them as a charge against me, whereby they drew a party from me to cleave unto them, so that some were for me, and for those assertions that they drew up against me, and some were against me, and against those as- sertions ; so that there was great strife amongst the believers, insomuch that I was forced to see who would be on my side ; who, and that whoever did, those, with those rebels, let them be rich or poor, I would cast them off. There were four conspirators in this rebellion, the rebellion was hatched when I was absent from home, when the King's messengers sought after me, when they took away the books : the names of the rebels were these, William Medgate, scrivener; Mr. Whitehill, Thomas Burton the younger, and Walter Bohenan the Scotsman ; these four were the grand rebels, for which rebellion I damned two of them, and the other two I did excom- municate , three of these were believers, and the other seemed to believe also ; but one of those that was excommunicated, namely Thomas Burton, re- pented of his rebellion, and asked forgiveness, so I received him into favour again ; so that all those that were drawn away in the rebellion are returned to me again, only those three, William Medgate, he stands excommunicated still, and is hardened in his rebel- 2 Y2 35G lion, so that I have little hope of his return. And for Mr. Whitehill the brewer, and Walter Bohenan, they two are cut off for ever : for Walter Bohenan hath acted the highest rebellion that ever was acted, since Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses; for which cause I have given orders to all the believers in London and Cambridgeshire, and elsewhere, not to eat and drink with him, nor trade with him at all, as is more largely exprest the causes why, in the letter I wrote to him. Also I have answered those nine assertions which William Megdate hath drawn up against me, and the cause of his excommunica- tion something large, which hath given great satis- faction to all the believers that have heard them, which hath established their minds more firm upon the commission of the Spirit than before. I thought good to give you an account, and a hint, of what hath happened this year's time ; this rebel- lion hath caused me much writing since, because many of the believers would have one of the writings to themselves, to peruse at their own pleasures: This is all I have to say at present, only my dear love to yourself and Betty Marsden, with my wife's love presented to you both, and to all friends else there with you. I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. From the Postern, London j August SO, 1672. 357 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowick e Muggletoiij to one William King a Quaker, who came from New England, dated from London, October 3, 1672. William King, I AM informed, that you have been a Quaker in New England, and that you have been moved, (as yon say,) of the Lord, and sent with a message from him into Old England ; to reprove and fore- warn those people called Quakers, and others, of some miscarriages and bad accounts you know against them, and pretend to declare against them. But I understand the Quakers people will not hearken un- to your message, nor own that the Lord hath sent you, but look upon you as a deceived person ; and that your message is forged, and out of your own imagination, and madness of your own brains, making a disturbance in the Quakers meetings : what, is Satan divided against Satan, how then can his kingdom stand ? Were not you of that faith as they are, how is it then that you find fault with them ? Is not your God and their God the same ? Is not your Devil and their Devil the same ? Is not the light of Christ within them their only God and Saviour, and is not yours the same ? There is no difference be- tween them and you in point of doctrine, why then should you fall out, and find fault one with another ? Cannot you let them alone in point of practice ? If your practice be better than theirs, the comfort will be yours : so that you need not to have taken the pains to have come so far from New England, to 358 Old England, to deliver such an ignorant foolish mes- sage, from the Lord and light within you. Also I am informed, that you have raged, railed, and reviled against me and the doctrine declared by me : I have heard of your wicked and blasphemous speeches against me, and the doctrine declared by me, several times ; and I did patiently bear with you, but being informed lately of your exceeding great wrath and railing, and high blasphemy against that true doctrine declared by me. You said it was blasphemy to say that God died ; doth not the Scripture say that Christ died, and poured out his soul unto death, and dare you say, that Christ was not God and man ? The Church of England doth own that Christ was God and man, and that he died and rose again, and ascended up to heaven ; this is that Alpha and Omega, who was dead, and is alive, and behold he live.th for evermore, as in the Revelation : this is he that poured out his soul unto death, as he was God and Man, and by this blood of Christ is my conscience sprinkled and cleansed from all sin, and by faith in this blood, am I justified, sanc- tified, and shall be glorified. Also you rage and rail at me, for saying that God hath elected some men to salvation, and reprobated some to damnation, before they were born : this you say is horrid blasphemy, and call me fool and ideot, and simple, silly ignorant man. To this I say, is not the Scripture full to prove, that God hath elected some from the foundation of the world to life and salvation, and some he hath re- probated and ordained of old, for eternal condemna- tion, even the seed of the serpent, of whom I know you are one, that was reprobated in your seed before you were born : for now the seed of the serpent doth 359 reply against God, and say, why hast thou made me thus ; as you have done, charging God with un- righteousness ; for this I say, God hath a preroga- tive power, and is above all law, and may do with his creatures as the potter doth with dead clay ; make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour, for his own glory. And what if God willingly make you a vessel of wrath fitted for distinction, (that is, eter- nal torments) as I know you are, how will you help it ? And if God willingly hath made me a vessel of mercy, fitted for eternal happiness, as I know I am, being of the seed of Adam, how should I prevent it ? For God doth every thing for his own glory, and God will be as much honoured in your eternal damnation, as in my eternal happiness and salvation ; for if I had not known such serpents as you are damned, I should never have known my own salvation, nor the salva- tion of others. For this I know, that God's glory would be eclipsed, if the seed of the serpent, (such as you are) should not be damned ; for if all should be saved, then the glory of salvation would be lost, be- cause he that is saved is delivered from torment ; and if all men were damned, then none could give glory unto God, nor praise him for his mercy. So that there is a necessity that the seed of the serpent (such as you are) should be damned, and that the seed of Adam should be saved, else God would have no glory by his redeemed ones, if not redeemed from hell and eternal torments. These and many other things written by us, the witnesses of the Spirit, you have spoken against, which would be too tedious to rehearse ; but you have shewed yourself plainly what seed you are of, and I having perfect knowledge what you are, and what you shall be hereafter, I shall proceed against you ac- 860 cording to your wickedness : for you have raged, railed, and reviled at me without a cause, iu that you have called me fool, simple, ignorant man, think- ing yourself wise ; you should have done as the apostle saith, suffer fools gladly, yet that foolishness of mine hath brought down the wisdom of many, and it shall bring down your wisdom, even to the lowest hell. Likewise you have railed against the true God declared by me, and have blasphemed against the true God that is in the form and person of a man : you have slighted such a God, you have denied that Christ was God become flesh, you have blasphe- mously said, that Christ's soul did not die, and the same that died did rise again, and ascend up into glory. Likewise, you have reproached the living God, denying his prerogative power to elect men to salvation that are the seed of Adam, and to reprobate some men, who are the seed of the serpent, to eter- nal damnation before they were born : you call the prerogative power of God unrighteousness, you say every man may be saved if he will. These, and se- veral other wicked reproaches, and railing, and blas- phemous speeches, have you uttered out of your mouth against me, and against God : for God hath chosen me to declare his mind, and not you ; and in as much as you have reviled, reproached, and blas- phemed against me, and the true doctrine declared by me, you have reviled, reproached, and blasphemed against God. You have done by me even as Rab- shekah did to Hezekiah king of Judah, as in Isaiah xxxviii. 4. He sent to reproach the living God, so He- zekiah spread his blasphemous letter before the Lord, and prayed unto 4 him to hear all the words of Sena- cherib, which he sent to reproach the living God ; as in the 17th verse, so 23d verse, Whom hast thou re- proacJied and blasphemed, and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice ? even against the holy one of Israel. 24th verse, By thy servant hast thou reproached the Lord. 29th verse, / know thy rage against me. So likewise hath your imaginary God without a body, sent you, William King, out of New England into Old England, to reproach the living God, the Lord Jesus Christ. And I have spread your blasphemous words before the Lord, and do believe he wilt hear all the words wherewith you have reproached the living God ; for whom have you reproached and blas- phemed, and against whom have you exalted your voice ? even against the very true God Christ Jesus, who is in the form of a man : this is that God whom I serve, and by whose power I do act ; by him the worlds were made, and without him was nothing made that was made. And this is the Lord you have re- proached and blasphemed, for I know your rage is against him ; if he were in my place, you would say to him as you do to me : and seeing God hath chosen me his last true prophet and witness of the Spirit, and hath set me in his place here on earth, to give judgment upon all proud blasphemous despising spirits, who blaspheme against the living God, as you have done in a high nature ; therefore, in obedience to my commission from God, for the aforesaid raging and railing against me, and reproaches and blasphe- mies against God, I do pronounce William King cursed and damned, soul and body, from the presence o'f God, elect men and angels, to eternity. Deliver yourself from this curse if you can : that God which sent you hither cannot ; nor the true God will not deliver you from that judgment and sentence I have passed upon you, and you shall know to your endless pain and shame, that God hath chosen mortal man, 2Z 362 like yourself, whom you have reviled ; and hath given him power to curse you to eternity, and none shall deliver you from it : for your soul shall die two deaths, the first death is natural, the second death is eternal ; and when God shall raise you again in the resurrection, which will not be a quarter of an hour to the dead, so that you shall pass through the first death into the second death, where the worm of con- science shall never die nor the fire of hell shall never go out, in utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth for evermore. And you shall re- member you were told so by the last true prophet, and witnesss of the Spirit. Written by me, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. October 3, 1672. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, bearing date from Lyndon, October 16, 1672. Loving and kind Friend in the true Faith, Thomas Tompkinson, THIS is to certify you, that I received your kind token of love, the cheese ; and we give you many thanks for it. Also I have now sent you the answer of the assertions, and the true copy of these nine assertions that William Medgate wrote to me, \vith his own hand ; also J have sent you the letter ,!!! . . !. ,ir-i) J 363 that I sent to Walter Bohenan, the Scotsman, in an- swer to his rebellious letters. I have placed Meg- date's nine assertions in the beginning, and Walter Bohenan's letter at the latter end, desiring you, that if Walter should happen to come to see you, that you would not let him see the answer to the asser- tions, for the rebels are mad, because they cannot see them. I could not send them to you sooner, because several believers have desired them before I could write them. So having no more at present, being in haste, I shall take leave, only my love, and my wife's love, remembered unto yourself, and to your wife, and all friends else in the faith there with you. I rest your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETOISL 77ie Pottern, London, Oct. 16th, 1672. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Slade- house, in Staffordshire, bearing date from London, January 1Q, 1673. . i . Loving Friend, Thomas Tompkinson, I SAW your letter to Mr. Delamaine, wherein you desire some of my advice ; I do not know well the ground of this matter to give advice in, but so far as I understand by your letter, I shall give what ad- 2Z2 364 vice I can. I perceive there is three particulars that causeth jour landlord to take an occasion against you : Fir sty Because you did not pay the tax he was to pay, and bear the loss yourself. As to this you did wisely, in that you did not keep to the letter of the law, that is, to the act of parliament, and have paid no tax for your landlord at all, but have strained his cattle for it ; likewise I perceive you have stopt some of your landlord's rent in lieu of the tax you have laid out for him, which cannot be justified by Jaw ; but what tax you paid for your land that was for your landlord to pay, the law will bear you out ; but to stop rent for other disbursements you laid out for your landlord, will riot stand good in law, there- fore it is dangerous for collectors to pay taxes for other men, except it be as far as his own tax for his landlord ; but perhaps the court will take it into con- sideration, seeing the tax was for the king, and they will perceive the dishonesty of your landlord, for it will be a great disparagement to a person of honour to have such a wicked deceit discovered and made appear in open court, and perhaps the court may re- lieve you, seeing the tax was for the king. Secondly. You speak as if your cattle had committed some trespass upon your lord's grounds ; as to that, I suppose may be referred to men that know what damage your landlord hath sustained, and what they judge you shall give to satisfy him for the trespass done, do you pay it, and let no money be spent in law in that business. I suppose these two things may be blown over with a little charge, and that the land- lord and the priest knows well enough ; but that which they think to do most mischief in is about spiritual matters, for not going to church, and bap- tizing your child, and such like, and that will advan- -! . . - t'$ 305 tage them nothing at all but to do you a mischief, neither can that disinherit you of your right in the temporal, nor prevent him from paying you that which he oweth you, therefore I shall inform you in some measure the strength of the spiritual court. First, they have power to proceed so far as to excom- munication, and when they have done so, you may go to the proctor of the court, and take it off for money as Mrs. Carter did ; she stood excommunicate several years, and took it off at last for twenty shillings ; and Mr. Sudbury was the like when he was alive, and his was sued to a Capienda writ, yet he got it off for fifty shillings; but the spiritual court itself doth commonly proceed no further than a bare ex- communication, except some envious person will be at the charge to sue out a Capienda writ, and that they sue out here at London ; all Capienda writs are fetched out of the High Court of Chancery, the writ doth cost thirty shillings itself, besides other charges; and when they have got it, they must have the hands of several bishops of two or three courts, and he that layeth out this money never hath one penny of it again if it be executed , so that except a man were made up of nothing but malice, he would never put himself to that trouble, charge, and vexation of spi- rit, to have nothing else for his pains and charge ; and when a Capienda writ is executed upon the person of a man, it cannot take away of his cattle nor goods, nor hinder a man of his right in any suit of law, ex- cept it be for paying of tithes and other church duties ; but for the things aforesaid, for not going to church, nor baptizing children, that writ doth not touch the estate of a man, nor take away his right in law, only this, if a man have this writ sued out upon him, if he overthrow the adversary, the judge and jury will give 306 him the debt and charges, for the court cannot give away a man's just cause and right because he is ex- communicated, but this a Capienda writ will hinder the man, that he cannot have an execution upon his adversary's person nor goods until the excommunica- tion be taken off. There was an example of this awhile ago, there was a widow-woman, a friend of ours in Kent, and there was a neighbour of her's that was at law with her about a field that joined to her's, and she was an excommunicated person a great while ; the suit was brought to trial, her adversary put him- self to the charge of a Capienda writ against her, think- ing that she should not have had the benefit of the law by reason of that writ, but the judge and jury gave her the verdict against him both debt and charges, only she could not have an execution granted her upon his person nor goods until she had taken the excommunication off, which she did, and it cost her four pounds to take it off, and then her adversary paid what the court ordered, for a Capienda writ is only for the person of a man ; and if it be served upon a man by officers, there is no bail to be taken, he must pay the debt, and the charges, promise to conform, or else go to prison ; but no goods can be touched except a man be sued to an outlawry, which must be some extraordinary occasion. Thus I have given you a hint of the effects of a Capienda writ. Now I shall write a few words to satisfy you, that my answer to William Penn's book is got safe out of the press, but with great charge and difficulty ; the volume is pretty large, nineteen sheets and an half, and there is variety of matter in it that is new, never written before, very pleasant to read; the books are half a crown a-piece, I will not let one go under to friend nor stranger, therefore if 367 you please to make those frieiends acquainted with it that will go to the price of ft, let them send money, and I will send as many of them as the money doth amount to at half a crown a-piece. You wrote to me a great while ago for a book bound altogether for our friend Thomas Hall, I sent you an answer of that letter concerning that book, but I have heard no answer of it~never since. This is all at present, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered unto yourself and wife, and all friends else in the faith there with you. I rest your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Postern, London, January 9, 1673. A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to William Penn, Quaker, bearing date from London, January 23, 1673. mf'; William Penn, Quaker, that blaspheming reprobate Devil, I THOUGHT good to send thee an answer of thy wicked anti-christian pamphlet, where thee mayest be convinced, though not converted, but the more hardened in thy blasphemy against the true God in the form of a man ; and that sentence and judgment that I passed upon you, in the discourse between us, may be more surely established upon 368 your heart, even so strongly, that your God, that is an infinite formless spirit without a body, cannot re- voke it, nor take it off you to eternity ; and you shall find these heavenly secrets, which you call foolish dreams and impostures, to be too strong for your anti-christian spirit of reason the devil in you, which you call God ; neither can I wish for your soul's sake, that you may think in time, and have a deep repent- ance, and come to find forgiveness with the true God, because I know he did reprobate you in the seed of the serpent ; and that you are predestinated in the seed to blaspheme against the true God, as made man in his own image and likeness, that you might justly be damned to eternity; so that, if it were pos- sible that you should be convinced now, I have given sentence upon you for your blasphemy, I then must of necessity be damned if you believe ; but I know in whom I have believed, in that God that hath given me power to give sentence upon such anti-christian devHs, that deny the body and person of God ; and I am justified of God, and justified in my own con- science ; neither will it stand with God's glory to save us both ; and if those revelations of Reeve and Mug- gleton's hath declared be filthy, devilish, and sottish imaginations, as you call them, then certainly our end will be endless pain indeed ; but if we be true, as I know we are, then you have given just sentence upon yourself, that your end will be endless pain from the never-dying worm in your conscience in the resurrection, when eternity doth begin to rise, and time doth end. " LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, London, Jan. 23, 1673. ^ t 360 A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. George Gamble, in Ireland, Feb. 14, 1673. Loving Friend in the true Faith, George Gamble, I SAW your letter bearing date the 30th of January, 1673, wherein I perceive the seed of faith is much risen in you, since the time I saw you; in that you do believe in a personal God, and in his messengers whom he hath sent, to declare the true God in this last age, what he is in his form and nature : and that you do believe this God will raise the dead at the last day, the true believer to everlast- ing glory, and the unbeliever to endless misery. For without this faith, it is impossible for any man or woman upon earth to have true peace in the soul, as to life eternal ; because this is that peace which the world cannot give, because it riseth from the seed of faith in man, which is the seed of God in man ; but the peace of this world, it ariseth from the seed of reason in man, which is the seed of the serpent, the lost angel in man. Therefore the peace which this world gives is full of doubtings, and accompanied with fears that a worse thing will follow after death;' but the act of faith hath no doubt in it, but doth say to this mountain of fears, that presents itself to the mind, Be removed, and cast into the bottom of the sea. The seed of faith in man, that is less than a grain of mus- tard seed, doth this and more : Out of this doth the day-star arise, that enlighteneth every man that be- lieveth, so that he cannot walk in darkness as the ' 3 A 370 seed of reason doth ; but seeth the strait and narrow way, that leadeth to life eternal : but the seed of rea- son walking in darkness, his way is large and broad, that leadeth to destruction. This seed of faith in man, is that single eye in man, Therefore, if a mans eye be single, his whole body is full of light. Neither doth this single eye of faith offend a man, but most men in the world, having the eye of faith and the eye of reason in them, (that is, the seed of reason and the seed of faith disputing in man's soul,) which doth offend man's mind, which Christ calls the right and left eyes, or two eyes. And because the seed of rea- son is the elder brother, (being the serpent's seed) it is called the right eye ; therefore, Christ saith, Matth. 5, 29. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee ; for it is profitable for thee. that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. The meaning is, that if the right eye of reason in man do offend him, by rea- sonings and disputings in a man's soul, against God and his prerogative power, offend a man, as I have had great experience of, when I was a Puritan ; so that my right eye of reason did offend me so much, that I was forced to pull it out and cast it from me ; and submit to the prerogative power of God to do what he would with me; else I saw that both my eye of reason and my eye of faith, also body and soul, must have perished in the resurrection, in hell-fire, to eternity. For Christ did not mean that a man should pull out his bodily eye, that doth offend him with a cold rheum and other distempers, and cast from him ; neither would the pulling out of both his bodily eyes save him from being cast into hell in the resurrection, if such a thing should be done by any man ; neither can a man pull out his own eye that 371 offends him, it must be another man must do it. But this right eye Christ spake of, that offends a man's mind, he must pull it out himself, and cast it from him, and he shall see the way to heaven better with one eye, than he did before with two eyes. So that it is better for a man to go to heaven, with one single eye of faith in the true God, than to go to hell, with two eyes of reason and unbelief, and faith with doubt- ing. Therefore the right eye of reason in the things of heaven, must be pulled out in man, and cast from him, as Christ said to those Jews, Why reason you in yourselves, saying, We have Abraham for our father ; for God is able, of these stony-hearted Gentiles, to raise chil- dren unto Abraham. Because they should believe the truth declared by his apostles, they should pull out the right eye of reason, and should see by the single eye of faith ; in that they should believe the apostles doctrine, the strait and narrow way to heaven, better with one eye than they could with two eyes. There- fore the right eye of reason in the things of God, that doth offend a man's mind, ought to be pulled out, and cast from him; else he will be in danger of being cast into hell-fire, in the resurrection, which will not appear to the dead soul a quarter of an hour, from its death to its rising again. I only give you a hint of this, because I see you have faith in the resurrection, that you might be more strongly confirmed in it, and established in the spi- ritual meaning of the Scriptures, which were spoken by holy men of God, the prophets and apostles, and by Christ himself; and interpreted in this last age, by us, the witnesses of the Spirit. This is all at present, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered to yourself, and your good wife, being of the seed of faith as you say, which I am very 3 A 2 372 apt to believe, and not without some ground though I never saw her. My love to Doctor Moss, and Co- lonel Phayer, George Rodgers, and the rest in the true faith of God's elect, in that one personal God, Christ Jesus, that was manifest in the flesh, that is, God become flesh, and dwelt amongst men here on earth. So I rest your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Postern, London, Feb. U, 1673. Friend George Gamble, I received the four pounds of Mr. Delamaine, and have sent you twenty-nine of those books in answer to William Penn ; they come to 31. 12s. 6d. And I have sent you five of John Saddington's books, which come to 5s. And as for the box and line, and carriage to Bristol, Mr. Dela- maine will give you an account, for I have left that to him ; likewise, I am sorry that the Divine Look- ing-Glass and Mortality of the Soul was taken away, for I could have helped you to some of the other single, but cannot help you to one of them single ; and especially the Divine Looking-Glass, because that is of great consequence, and will never be printed more while I live. But for the Mortality of the Soul, this answer to William Penn doth treat upon that point, sufficient to satisfy any man that hath faith, that his soul doth die. Only that book is desired the more, because it was of John Reeve's writing ; but seeing it cannot be had, people must be content with what they have. Therefore I would wish you and all others to make much of them you have ; for when 373 those few I have be gone, you will not get one of the whole volumes for love nor money. I have had ex- perience of that already, by that book which I sold for sixpence ; 1 could have had five shillings of seve- ral, and some friends had it, and could have spared it, yet would not part with it. I have gotten now a book- binder, that doth bind the whole volume together, so that all the Divine Looking-Glasses are bound to the set, so that if any will have that, they must have all or none. So resteth your friend, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Postern, London, February 14, 1673. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, bearing date from London, February 16, 1673. Loving Friend in the true Faith, Thomas Tompkinson, I RECEIVED your letter you sent to our friend Delamaine, dated from "Waydley, January 3, 16/3, wherein I perceive your great enemy hath brought himself under the law, which is the same measure that he would have meted unto you if he could, but his unrighteous intents unto you is come upon his own head ; likewise you desire that I would send you three books to the answer of William Penn ; 374 also I went to Mr. Shelley, and shewed him your letter ; and he looked in his book, and said it was not so much as three shillings and eleven pence ; but ra- ther than I should send but three books to you, he gave me half a crown, that I might send four books ; and so I have sent you four of those books by Ash- bourne carrier ; so there remains seven shillings and six-pence due to me. This is all at present, only my love, with my wife's love, remembered unto yourself, and to your wife, and all frjends in the true faith there with you. I rest your friend in the true faith, .HOT3L: LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Postern^ London^ Feb. 16, 1673. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Alexander Delamaine, senior, May 16, 1673. Loving Friend in the true Faith, Mr. Dclamaint, I HAVE thought it convenient, seeing that I am in trouble about these books, lest they should be taken away by the enemy, who would destroy them and me also if they should catch me ; therefore I do intend to write to all the believers of this commission, that are able and willing, to 4?uy one of these books 375 bound altogether ; the price is eleven shillings, and some friends will have two of them to help me away with them, for I do intend to sell no more of the three great volumes not single ; that is to say, The Divine Looking-Glass, The Eleventh of the Reve- lation, and The Whole Revelation, but what are bound altogether ; so that the believers may do me a great pleasure to take some of them off my hand, and do themselves no great harm ; for the time may come, ere long, that they may have more for them than they give me ; but, however, as the old proverb is, they will eat no bread, it will be only so much money lie dead : so that if you be free to take one, and send eleven shillings by my wife, and she shall bring one to you. So resteth your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, May 16, 1673. A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to John Harriot, bearing date from London, July 16, 1673- John Harriot, YOU may remember that I did send to my cousin Elizabeth White, two books, the one was concerning The Mortality of the Soul, and the othev 376 was The Interpretation of the llth of the Revela- tions; it was many years ago, I suppose nine or ten years ago, since I sent them to my cousin White, but I could never hear that they were received by her, or no other ; but now of late I am informed, that you her son-in-law, that married her daughter, did receive them, and not only so, but you have burned them. I do remember that you, and Samuel Butler the tan- ner, had some discourse with me and Mr. Hudson at that time ; you did then a little shew yourself what seed you were of at that time, even the seed of the serpent ; yet for cruelty's sake, because you married my cousin's daughter, I did take little notice of your words at that time ; likewise you were desirous that I should send your mother-in-law those books, be- cause she could not read, that you might read them to her ; but it seems that you were so offended at them, that you burned them : you should have burned that which was your own, you never paid a penny for them, neither were they sent to you, but to my cousin, and if you had not liked them, you should have given them to others, or have sent them to me again, then should you have escaped that un- pardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, which God will not forgive in this world, nor in the world to come : for you have done despite unto the Spirit of Grace, in that you burned those writings that were penned by the Revelation of the Holy Spirit of God in us. I know you would have burned me as you did them, if you could with as much ease as you did them ; also I know you would have done as much by Christ himself, if he were upon the earth, as you do by me ; and in burning those books, you have com- mitted high blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, a sin that will never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor 377 iii the world to come ; and it would have been good for you if you had never been born : but you have shewed yourself of the reprobate seed of the serpent, appointed for eternal damnation ; therefore, in obe- dience to my commission received from God, for this your wicked, envious, malicious burning those books without any cause, I do pronounce you cursed and damned, in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to all eternity. And you shall remember in your death, and in the Resurrection, that you were told so by one of the two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit; neither will God deliver you from this curse which I have pronounced upon you, but it shall be as sure upon you, as if God him- self had spoken it ; for God always gave his Pro- phets and Apostles power to bless and curse to eter- nity, that is, to forgive sins, and retain sins ; and this sin and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, in burn- ing those books, that you have committed, is that unpardonable sin, which Christ saith will never be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come; besides, sins of this nature doth seldom escape a double curse, even crosses and poverty in this life, besides your damnation hereafter. Your sin hath lain hid a long time, but now is brought to sight. Furthermore, I understand, that Samuel Butler, and Mr. Smith the minister, were confederates with you in advising and counselling you to burn them ; for I perceive you three are all of the Presbytery religion, and you three are in union, and do rule the whole town in matters of religion, if not in temporal affairs, because you three can prattle upon the letter of the Scriptures than any others in the town, yet more blind and ignorant in the knowledge of the true God, and all heavenly and spiritual knowledge, than the 3B 378 ignorant men of the town that is in his right senses ; but because you think, and say within yourselves, you see, therefore your sin of blasphemy and blind- ness of mind doth and shall remain upon you ; and as to Samuel Butler, I shall say this, that if he were confederates with you to burn them, or any other way, or had any hand in it whatsoever, I do pronounce Samuel Butler cursed and damned, soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity ; but if he be innocent, and not guilty in no kind whatsoever, then this curse shall take no place in him, nor be of no effect ; but if guilty, then it shall remain upon him to eternity, as aforesaid. Likewise if Mr. Smith, your minister, hath been confederates with you in burning those books, in giving his advice or counsel, or persuading you, or had any hand whatsoever in your burning those books, then I do pronounce Mr. Smith, your mi- nister, cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God f elect men and angels, to eternity; but if he be innocent and guiltless of this crime, then this curse shall be of no effect upon him ; but if he be guilty of the burning of those books in any kind whatsoever, then shall this curse remain upon him to eternity. Furthermore, if any other persons, either men or women, that had any hand, or gave their consent willingly to the burning of those books, whoever they be, they are cursed and damned, both in soul and body, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. Written by LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. July 16, 1673; . 379 A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Cork, in Ireland, being the sentence of damnation upon twenty-six Quakers there. Cork, in Ireland, the llth of July, 1673. AT the quarterly meetings of Quakers, they have drawn up a declaration, or testimony, in the behalf of all the Quakers, against John Reeve and Lodowicke Muggleton ; whereunto six and twenty Quakers have set their hands, as a testimony against Reeve and Muggleton. The true Copy of this Testimony, as it came to my hands, is as followeth, viz. The God of eternal glory, who, by the arm of his living power, hath in these latter days of the world, gathered a remnant to himself, and brought them into fellowship and acquaintance with him ; in whom he hath poured out of his Holy Spirit, according to his promise, as the prophets and the holy men of God in ages and generations past, whereby they are enabled, with an infallible discerning, (as in his holy covenant and council they abide) to try the spirits that come into the world, whether they be of God or not. And whereas there is a spirit, that hath come forth into the world, and lain lurking in secret places for a season, and now begins to enlarge itself, by the erroneous doctrines of John Reeve and Lodowicke Muggleton, setting forth themselves to be the two 3 B2 380 last witnesses of the Commission of the Spirit ; the former of which is dead, and the latter, named Lodowicke Muggleton, surviving, hath presumptu- ously arrogated to himself the power of blessing and cursing, and that, irrevocable to all eternity. Also that, he, the said Ludowicke Muggleton, is the only interpreter of Scripture in the world, and the only and alone judge what shall become of men and women after death ; neither shall they whom he damns, see any other God or judge but himself. And that he knows more of spiritual things, than ever prophet or apostle did since the beginning of the world; and some of whose principles, exactly taken out of some of their own books, hereafter follow : viz. John Reeve sets forth in his book, called Transcen- dent Spiritual Treatise, that, Feb. 3, 4, 5/1651, God, whom he saith is above the stars, spake to him by voice of words, saying, I have given thee under- standing of my mind in the Scriptures above all the men in the world ; and also said, I have given thee Lodowicke Muggleton to be thy mouth. ^And page the 5th, the said Reeve, page 32. Elias was exalted upon the throne of glory for a moment, to represent the person of God the Father, and he was made the protector of my God, when God became a child. And it was Elias that filled the Lord Jesus with those great revelations of his former glory, that he pos- sessed in the heavens, when he was the eternal Father. And it was Elias that spake those words from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son. And the said Reeve affirms, that if a man had no sin in their bodies, they might live and die, and naturally rise again by their own power, and in their own time, as the Lord of life did, 381 Page 33, John Reeve and Lodovvicke Muggleton, in their book called, A Divine Looking-Glass, on that Scripture, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand ; and that is to say, then the everlasting Father spake to himself. Page 46, Lodowicke Muggleton, in his book called, The Neck of the Quakers broken, saith, you can never know Christ, nor the Father, nor the Holy Ghost, by the words of Scripture, nor the light of Christ within you, without an interpreter, there being none in the world at this day but myself, as in page 25. Page 45, saith, I am sure I do know more in spiritual things than ever prophet or apostle did since the beginning of the world. And, page 47, he saith, I am the only and alone judge what shall become of men and women after death ; neither shall those that are damned by me see any other God or judge but me. Page 15, he saith, and what person soever we determine judgment upon, it is so, and there is no revoking of it. Page 53, he saith, though Christ be the truth and the life, yet I am the only declarer what this truth and life is : and though Christ be the door, yet I have the key given me to open the door to life eternal. And forasmuch as a false rumour hath been spread abroad, that we, or some of us, whose names are here- unto subscribed, have received the doctrines and principles of the aforesaid Reeve and Muggleton; whereby some honest-hearted may seern to stumble and startle: we therefore, the people of the Lord, called Quakers, at a general meeting in Cork, for the province of Munster, have very seriously, in the council of God, weighed and considered the prin- ciples and doctrines of the aforesaid Reeve and Muggleton, and the Spirit from whence they flow* and do, in the name and authority of the Holy 38-2 Spirit of Truth, deny that spirit, as the spirit of error, and give our testimony against the same, warning and admonishing all people in the fear and dread of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, to turn from it, and avoid it. The 19th day of the fourth month, 16?3. Let this be read in the publick meeting in the City of Cork, and the same to be recorded in a book to stand as a testimony against this blaspheming spirit, for ages and generations to come. The Names of those that subscribed to this Paper, are as followeth, viz. WILLIAM MORRIS, WILLIAM EUD, WILLIAM EDMONDSON, PHILLIP DYMOND, ROBERT SANDHAM, CHR. PENNRICKE, WILLIAM EDWARDS, DAN. SAVERY, JOHN FENNELL, WAR. PHILLIPS, THOMAS WIGHT, THOMAS WHEDDEN, JOHN FOSSAGE, JASPER TREYOS, FRANCIS ROGERS, WILLIAM HAWKINS, JOHN BURNEGATE, JOHN HAMMOND, GEORGE PATTESON, GEORGE NEGNOE, JOHN GETTAS, TIMOTHY THOHOYMOUTH, JAMES DOWLYN, RICHARD BERRY, THOMAS ALLEY, ARTHUR JOHNSON. The Answer of Lodowicke Muggleton, to this Paper as followeth. I SHALL separate the Quakers words in their paper from those words of Reeve and Muggleton, which they have picked out of our books, being all in print already, it will be needless to repeat them over again. 383 Therefore I shall only give answer to those words of the Quakers, which these twenty-six persons above- written, have subscribed their names in the behalf of all the rest at their general meeting at Cork. The words of concernment in their paper I have divided into six heads, which are all their own words; but as for the rest of their paper, being Reeve's and Muggle ton's words, as they have picked out of their books already, and will remain upon record to the world's end, and to eternity, both upon the souls and bodies of them which truly believe in this commis- sion of the Spirit, who are blessed, and upon the souls and bodies of all those that have actually despised and blasphemed against the doctrine and commission of the Spirit, declared by Reeve and Muggleton, who are cursed by them. Therefore I shall direct my words only to the twenty-six persons above written, that have sub- scribed their names to this paper, and not to the whole assembly that professeth to be Quakers, though you say you subscribe your names in the behalf of all the Quakers. But I shall deal more justly in my judgment than you Quakers do in your judgment ; for Penn, and other Quakers have not only -given judgment against me, but upon all those that believe me. But I shall do by you as I have always done, set my face against none but those that are found in actual transgression of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost ; for whoever despiseth us, the Witnesses of the Spirit, despiseth God that sent us. And if you- had lived in the days when Christ was upon earth, you would have said as much to him as you do to me. 1. First. The Quakers say, the God of eternal glory, who, by the arm of his living power, hath, in this latter age of the world, gathered a remnant to himself, and brought them into fellowship and ac- quaintance with him; in whom he hath poured out of his Holy Spirit, according to his promise, as the prophets and the holy men of God in ages and gene- rations past, whereby they are enabled, with an infal- lible discerning, (as in his holy covenant and counsel they abide) to try the spirits that come forth into the World, whether they are of God or not. Muggleton's reply. That the God of eternal glory is not the Quaker's God ? Why ? Because he hath a spiritual body, form and shape, like man, therefore said to make man in his own image and likeness ; therefore it is that angels, and all other creatures in heaven, do give glory, praise, and honour to the per- son of God their creator. For this I say, there is no honour, praise, and glory can be received by the creator, except he hath a body distinct of his own ; neither can any creature, that hath life in the body, ascribe honour and glory, but to a personal God, that hath a body of his own. But the bewitched Quakers, through their ignorance and blindness of mind, do praise and magnify an infinite spirit without a body, that cannot be seen, nor comprehended by angels, nor man, nor no other creature. So that the Quakers are the absolute one alone people, that are led and guided by the spirit of Anti-Christ in this last age, who deny both Father and Son to have a body ; for they have imagined the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ to be all one Spirit, as is most true ; they are but one Spirit : but they have ima- gined likewise, that this one spirit hath never a body of its own ; therefore the Quakers people are abso- lutely of the Anti-Christian spirit, that denieth the God head Spirit to have a body of its own. For this 385 I say, a spirit hath no existence no where without a body, but is a meer nothing at all. And this ima- ginary God, a Spirit without a body, is the Quakers God of eternal glory, which they worship, even a nothing at all, but a God of their own imagination: so that their fellowship and acquaintance is only with such a God as they have imagined ; a spirit without a body is the Quakers God of eternal glory; and this God, an infinite nothing, hath poured out of his unholy spirit of imagination of reason upon the people called Quakers, such a spirit, which hath enabled them to defy the living God, that hath a body of his own in heaven, above the stars. And this imaginary God, a spirit without a body, hath given the Quakers discerning and counsel to fight against the true God, that hath a body, and to blas- pheme against him and those he sends : so that the spirit of reason, the devil, in the Quakers, think they can try the spirits, whether they be of God, or not, yet stone-blind, and know not the true God. 2. The Quakers say, and there is a spirit that hath come forth into, and lain lurking in secret places for a season, and now begins to enlarge itself, by the erroneous doctrines of John Reeve and Lodo- wicke Muggleton, as they call them. Answer. That this spirit, that hath come forth, which you say hath lain lurking in secret places for a season, it was the Spirit of Christ, the only wise God, that hath a body now in heaven, which you Quakers so despise, that did authorise John Reeve and Lo- dowicke Muggleton, to declare against that Anti- Christian spirit that reigneth in the world in all pro- fessions of religion; in that every man, by nature, is ignorant of the form and nature of the true God, and that God made man in his own image, in respect of 386 his bodily shape and likeness, as well as his souJ. J5nt all men, by nature, being blind in spiritual things, as we ourselves were, have imagined and framed to themselves a God that is not, only a spirit without a body. And this dark apprehension of God hath taken such deep root in all mens hearts by na- ture, it being an established doctrine in the world above these thousand years, even from one genera- tion to another. And the cause why this utter dark- ness hath remained upon all men, as well upon the elect as upon the reprobate, is, because God hath not sent one man, by commission, to declare the true God this many hundred years, until now, in this last age of the world, he hath sent Reeve and Muggleton. And that hath been the cause the whole world hath been over-spread with this conceit, that. God is an infinite, formless Spirit, that hath no body, form, or likeness of his own. But Reeve and Muggleton were sent forth by the authority of this God, that hath a body of his own, to try the spirits of all professors of the Scriptures in the world ; which we have tried, and we do perfectly know the height and depth of every man's faith in the world in spiritual things concerning his God. And by this spiritual knowledge of God, his form and nature, we know the forms and natures of all things else, in heaven above, and in the earth beneath ; and in the trial of all mens religion, we have tried by what spirit the Quakers are come forth in, and we find, by the knowledge of the Scriptures, and by the faith of the prophets and apostles, that the Quakers people are carried forth, by the spirit of Anti-Christ, with an imaginary God, a spirit without a body. And that there are no professors of religion in the world so absolute Anti-Christ as the Quakers people are. To '/<) , ' III .$Sfff'!fi ] ii' ' I'.- >wwl s.'UTj slttFf 387 be plain, the Spirit, which they call God, or Christ, or the light of Christ within them, is nothing else but the imaginations of reason, the devil in them, they finding the law written in their hearts, their thoughts accusing and excusing, they do imagine this law to be God ; and this law hath never a body dis- tinct from man. Therefore the dark imagination in the Quakers hearts doth think, that this law, written < in every man's heart, must needs be God. This is the Quakers God, that hath never a body of his own, but man's body to dwell in : but this God of yours within you will prove your only devil to torment you to eternity. And whereas you say, this spirit, meaning Reeve and Muggleton, hath been lurking in secret places for a season. To this I say, it hath been almost as openly de- clared as the Quakers spirit hath, and almost as long it hath appeared in this last age of the world, for matter of time, as the Quakers Anti-Christian spirit hath appeared. It is almost twenty-two years since this commission of the Spirit hath appeared ; and the spirit of Anti-Christ in the Quakers hath appeared but few years more. And when Reeve and Mug- gleton did appear at the first, this declaration and doctrine was far more publick than the appearance of the Quakers ; why ? Because we wrote our faith, doctrine, and commission, and printed it to the world, whereby the people took more publick notice of us than of the Quakers ; for at" that time, there were but few Quakers of note ; neither did they print any thing of their faith and doctrine, what they would have the people to believe; and I suppose, that, if the first book the Quakers wrote to vindicate the principles of the Quakers doctrine could be produced 3C2 388 it would not bear so long a time as Reeve's and Muggleton's Commission-Book doth. But however, the Quakers at that time had witchcraft-fits, which did rather fright the beholders of them than inform their judgments. But since that, Muggleton hath cast out that devil out of many of them, by the sentence of damnation upon the chief of them: so that it hath eased the whole body of the Quakers of those witchcraft-fits, that were formerly very rise in the Quakers people ; so that now there is hardly a witchcraft-fit can be procured amongst them. So that this spirit, that Reeve and Muggleton were guided by, hath not lain lurking in secret places. For I do believe, that we have written and printed, if it were possible to gather them all together, in publick, more than most of the Quakers in England have written ; however, our books trouble the world more than any Quakers books do whatsoever. Like- wise we were publick enough twenty years ago with you Quakers, when we gave sentence of damnation upon four of your chief leaders, if not the first broachers of the Quakers Anti-Christian doctrine, viz. George Fox, the elder and younger, both, Francis Howgell, and Edward Burroughes ; these four, as I remember, were the first Quakers that were damned for denying that God hath a body of his own, distinct from man, and all other creatures. So that you Quakers have the least cause of any people whatsoever to say, that this spirit hath lain lurking in secret places ; for this spirit hath had more power over those people called Quakers, than any other people whatsoever. So that you Quakers, of all people in the world, have the least cause to sayV this spirit hath lain lurk^ ing in secret places. Indeed, we have not followed the practice of you Quakers, to compass sea and land to 389 gain proselites, as many of you have, and you have made them twofold the children of the devil than they were before, in that they are more hardened, and more uncapable to understand the mystery of the true God becoming flesh, and the devil becoming flesh. And whereas you say, now it begins to enlarge itself by the erroneous doctrines of John Reeve and Lodowicke Muggleton, as you call them. To this I say, the Anti-Christian spirit in the Quakers hath enlarged itself very much within these fifteen years, which hath been the cause that the Spirit of the true Christ in us hath enlarged itself, in opposition to the Spirit of Anti-Christ in the Quaker, and more especially since John Reeve's death ; for in his time, there were but few Quakers in comparison to what are now, and little notice taken of them in his time ; but since they have encreased and multiplied exceedingly ; but since Muggleton began to oppose them, by writing against their bodiless God within them, it hath put a great stop to them ; and not only so, but this doctrine of Reeve and Muggleton hath delivered many innocent souls out of the snares of the Quakers, which leadeth men to eternal perdition, which denieth the body of the Lord of life to be without them. Besides, the spirit did not lurk in any secret place, when I wrote to Edward Bourne, Samuel Hooton, William Smith, Thomas Taylor, and several others, which is near twelve years ago, wherein they were damned to eternity for despising that doctrine you call errone- ous ; and ever since that letter to Samuel Hooton and William Smith, I have not been suffered to lurk in secret places. For you Quakers have caused me to be the publickest man in the world ; witness that 300 Richard Farnesworth, Thomas Taylor, George Fox, Isaac Permington, as may be seen in The Neck of the Quakers Broken, and in Fox's Looking-Glass, and the Answer to Pennington ; besides letters to other Quakers, more than I can remember ; besides the Interpretation of the llth of the Revelations, and the whole Revelations, and The Interpretation of the Witch of End or. These things do manifest, that I have not lain still; in secret, but do manifest me to be the most publick man in the world in spiritual things ; because I am not only hated of you Quakers, but am hated of all the speakers and ministers of all the seven Churches of Europe, besides thousands of their hearers ; so that it is an impossible thing, that I should have lain in any secret place. And this hatred have we pro- cured of all people in the world, for no other cause at all, but for declaring this doctrine, which you call erroneous, and the authority of our commis- sion, given by voice of words from the Lord Jesus Christ, the only wise God, who hath a glorious body, in the form like a man of his own ; as we have written in The Transcendent SpiritualTreatise, when God gave this commission, in the year 1651. 3. These Quakers say, forasmuch as a false rumour hath been spread, that we, or some of us, whose names are here under subscribed, have received the doctrine and principles of the aforesaid Reeve and Muggleton, whereby some honest hearted may seem to stumble and startle. Answer. If such a rumour hath been spread, and it was false, the more will be your misery. And you that have subscribed your names as a testimony that you have not received the doctrines of Reeve and Muggleton, but have utterly denied it, in sub- 391 scribing your names as a testimony against it : I say, it would have been good, if none of you had been born ; for in denying those doctrines, you have denied us ; and in denying us, you have denied the true God that sent us; which hath given me just occasion to give sentence of judgment upon all you that have subscribed your names. And whereas, you think by this means that you have removed the stumbling stone out of your way, that the honest-hearted might not stumble and startle, and that you might establish your Anti- Christian principle the more sure; but you will be prevented ; for God hath laid this doctrine and com- mission, which you deny, as a stumbling stone in Sion. So that many of you Quakers, and others, shall stumble at this stone, and fall, and never rise again ; but there are some of those people that shall be preserved from stumbling at this doctrine of the Witnesses of the Spirit. For whoever is left to fall upon this stone, as you have done, shall be broken into pieces as to the peace of their minds here in this life ; and on whomsoever this stone, or sentence of damnation, shall fall upon, it shall grind to powder in those eternal torments, which the wicked de- spisers and fighters against a personal God and his messengers, whom he hath sent, in utter darkness ; so that there shall not one motion of peace arise in them to eternity. And farther, I say, I never did, nor never shall persuade any man or woman to believe this doctrine, or commission ; for I have done my duty to God, in that I have declared the whole council of God beyond all that have gone before me, or that shall come after me; and whoever doth understand and believe, it will be for their eternal good ; and if there should none believe this doctrine, yet should not I question the truth of it ; for I have peace in myself, in that I have declared the mind of the Lord freely, as it hath been revealed unto me ; neither did I ever encourage or persuade any person to believe. I set life and death before them, as Moses did, to chuse or refuse ; if they did truly believe the doctrine of the true God, and the commission of the Spirit, they should live, and have eternal life abiding in them ; this many can witness : but if they did refuse, deny, despise and blaspheme, as you have done, against the commission of the Spirit, then they chose eternal death rather than eternal life ; this many hundreds can witness in their consciences if they would. For it was never my custom or practice this twenty years, to persuade any man against his conscience, nor to believe me, after they have had several discourses with me. I Store them liberty to go to any opinion whatsoever, and if they could find any man speak like this man, or give them better satisfaction to their questions than I have, let them go, and come no more at me. It was never my custom nor practice to compel people to enter into the kingdom of heaven, whether they r would or no, as you Quakers do. I was always in- clined to let the kingdom of heaven to suffer violence, that the violent desires of men and women, after salvation, might take the kingdom of heaven by force, and not be compelled to enter in. For you Quakers keep a great bustle to keep your dis- ciples to you, for fear of losing them ; I never did endeavour to set your disciples from you, yet there ^y r X * j 1 are many of them that are come to the life of this doctrine of Reeve and Muggleton, which you call erroneous. 'And if they could not have found rest in this doctrine and commission, they had liberty to 303 return to you again. And can you Quakers tell the reason why so many of your disciples, that were absolute of you, should come to me, and never return to you again ; and it is a more admirable thing, that there should not be one of Muggleton's disciples, or true believers of him, to fall from him to the Quakers, not this fifteen years ; I know not one ; neither do they stumble or startle any more, if they truly believe Reeve and Muggleton s doctrine. 4. Say they, we therefore, the people of the Lord, called Quakers, at a general meeting at Cork, for the province of Munster, have very seriously, and in the council of God, weighed and considered the principles and doctrines of the aforesaid Reeve and Muggleton, and the spirit from whence they flow. Ansn-er. That these people, called Quakers, at a general meeting at Cork, were not the people of the true God, but the children of that serpent devil that beguiled Eve. And your serious council in God, as you say, it was in the council of your imaginations of reason, the devil within you, which is the Quakers God they take council in, and in your imagi- nations of your hearts, which is your God, you have weighed and considered the principles and doctrine of Reeve and Muggleton, as you say, and the spirit from whence they flow. 5. They say, and do, in the name and authority of the holy spirit of truth, deny that Spirit as the spirit of error, and give our testimony against the same ; warning and admonishing all people, in the fear and dread of the Lord God of heaven and earth, both to turn from it, and avoid it. Answer. Here the Quakers do prate of the name and authority of the holy spirit of truth, yet know- not the body of that God, from whence the holy 3 D 394 Spirit of truth proceeded ; for this I say, that a spirit without a body can give no council at all ; neither can any council proceed but from a spirit that hath a body of his own. If men's spirits had not bodies, how could they give council to one another ? Neither can that God, that hath never a body, be the true God, or give any council at all. Yet the Quakers people doth take council of a spirit that hath no body, which they call God ; which God is nothing else but the law written in their hearts. So that this conclusion must needs follow, that you Quakers take council, in your own hearts, with a spirit without a body ; the light of Christ within you : this you call God's Holy Spirit of truth, in which you take council. Now the light of Christ within you is not the true God ; it is nothing else but God's law written in the heart, which doth accuse the conscience when you do any thing contrary to it. And when you do commune with this righteous law, written in your hearts, you do imagine that you take council in God, a spirit without a body. Here lieth your great mistake, in that you take God's righteous law, written in your hearts, for God himself. A man may as well take the law of a king for the king himself: only here is the difference ; a king's law is visible, and himself is visible to the natural eyes; but God's law is invi- sible, written in the hearts of men, and God him- self is that invisible God, yet a person distinct from this invisible law, written in man's heart. Now shall I say, that this law, written in my heart, is God ; because I cannot see it with my natural sight, nor know how it came to be written there, it being invisible. So that the Quakers do worship the law, written in their hearts, for God ; and the light of 395 this law, is that light of Christ they so much talk of within them : and this law is their God and Saviour, and they have no other God to save them, but the light of this law within them. This I know is the Quakers holy spirit of truth they so much talk of, which is no other spirit, but the law, written in their hearts, in the life and soul of them ; and when their souls doth die, this law, written in their hearts, doth die also ; and so, by consequence, their imaginary God, a spirit without a body, is dead also ; and so they lie all three in the earth together, viz. the soul, the law. the imagination that God was a spirit without a body, all dead in the earth, until the day that my God, that hath a body of his own, shall raise them again in the resurrection, then shall the soul and the law, written in their hearts, which was their God, a spirit without a body, and their imagination, that created in itself such a God, a spirit without a body, they shall all rise again together. And this law, written in their hearts, they called God, a spirit without a body while they were in this life, shall be the only devil that shall torment them to eternity in the resurrection. And this law, aforesaid, the light of it, is the Quakers holy spirit of truth, which doth deny that spirit that doth declare God to be in form and shape like man, as the spirit of error, and they do give testi- mony against the same ; and not only so, but they do admonish all other people, as well as their own, in the fear and dread of their imaginary Lord God of heaven and earth, both to turn from it, and avoid it. But this I say, whosoever doth adhere to the Quakers admonishment, or to their God, he doth adhere to a God of his own imagination, which hath 3 D 2 396 neither body, form, shape, nor substance ; which cannot deliver you in the day of trouble. 6. And, lastly , the 19th day of the fourth month, 1673, let this be read at the pub lick meeting in the city of Cork, and the same to be recorded in a book, to stand as a testimony against this blasphemous spirit for ages and generations to come. Answer. Here the reader may see what care and pains the Quakers doth take to uphold their kingdom of Anti-Christ ; and to bind themselves together, at their general meetings, to fight against the Spirit of the true Christ, and his doctrine, declared by Reeve and Muggleton, but more especially against me. These ten years, and better, have I only engaged against the whole host of Quakers, they being many, and I but one man ; yet being chosen of God to oppose that Anti-Christian spirit that would have spread itself over the face of the earth: but God hath letted them, by sending two men to make war against them ; and I, even I, have fought many battles with them, and have, by faith in the true God, that hath a body of his own, broken the jaw-bone of the Quakers strength to pieces, and have shattered them in confusion. There hath come forth against me many of their mighty men of valour ; they have shot their poison- ous arrows at me, but could not hurt me. Oh ! how many of your Anti-Christian companions, captains, and mighty men of war of Anti-Christ's army, have come out against me, more than I can well name : they came uith their weapons of war as Goliah, as it were like giants with their weavers beams ; yet I being but one in the world, by the help of my God, that hath a body in heaven, above the stars, being cloathed with the whole armour of God, the breast- 397 plate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the two-edged sword of the Spirit, I have fought with many men of valour, and have overcome them, as David did Goliah, and have scat- tered their followers, even as the host of the Philistines were scattered. These things are written more at large in another place, which will be upon record, and in publick, after my death : so that you Quakers, if you were sensible, might say, Oh ! what is become of our valiant leaders, our captains, and mighty men of war, that listed, as under the spirit of Anti-Christ ? Oh ! how are they fallen by the sword of the Spirit put into Muggleton's mouth ? Alas ! alas ! our mighty men are fallen into eternal damnation, when, as we thought, that their spirits did but go out of their bodies ; but, alas ! it is otherwise : they are gone to eternal darkness, where they shall never see bright day more. But, here of late, since William Penn hath survived the place of a teacher, a leader, and captain of the Quakers host, he hath been more zealous for the spirit of Anti-Christ, than the former that went before him ; and he hath defied the living God, that hath a body of his own, more glorious than any that went before him. And for this he is damned, body and soul, to eternity ; and it will not be long before he shall possess the reward of his blasphemy, which is this: his soul, which he saith cannot die, it shall die two deaths ; it shall pass through this first death, which is natural and appointed unto all men once to die, and enter into the second death, which is eternal, in utter darkness, where he shall never die, nor never live in comfort, even a living death, and dying life : this is the second death, which God hath prepared for the seed of the serpent, such as Penn, 398 and others, that despise such a God as hath a body, form, and shape like man ; and he shall remember, that he was told so by me. Furthermore, I suppose William Penn's book against me hath been some cause that hath stirred you, in Ireland, up to band yourselves thus, at your general meeting, to declare against the doctrine of Reeve and Muggleton. So that the Quakers come now of late in troops ; they do not come two or three at a time, as formerly ; but, as it were, in bands : for it is not long since I had a testimony against this doctrine and commission of the Spirit, at a quarterly meeting of women Quakers, no less than twenty-eight, their names subscribed ; and at a quarterly meeting of men Quakers, about thirty, that subscribed their names, as a testimony against the doctrine of Reeve and Muggleton. William Smith wrote the testimony of them both, and a little while after he died. And now here cometh a band of men out of Ireland, twenty-six, who have given testimony against Reeve and Muggleton's doctrine, calling them erroneous, and do deny them as the spirit of error and blasphemy. These words are the sin against the Holy Ghost ; and inasmuch as God hath chosen me, on earth, to be the judge of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, so that I have considered your testimony, and the names of all you that have subscribed to that paper ; your names are written at the beginning of this paper. And you having all jointly set your names, as one man, to this testimony above written. Therefore, in obedience to my commission from the true God, I do pronounce all those twenty-six persons, whose names are afo rewritten, cursed and 399 damned, in their souls and bodies, from the presence of God, elect men and angels, to eternity. Written by me t LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, One of the tico last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Christ Jetut in Glory. I wish you to read this answer at your general meeting, that the whole congregation may hear it ; and, if you please, to record it for ages and genera- tions to come. Let these two sheets of paper be delivered to the hands of some of the Quakers, at their general meet- ing, in Cork, in Ireland, to be read, if possible, to the congregation. The Postern, near London- Wall, in London, Aug. 11, 1673. A Copy of a Letter sent by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Joseph Moss, a Physician, in Cork, in Ireland, August 11, 1673. v Dear Friend in the eternal Truth, Joseph Moss, THIS is to certify you that I received your letter, with the Quaker's testimony. I am glad to hear you are well in health, and of George Gamble's health ; but as for satisfaction of that life eternal I suppose you do not want, for true faith, without doubting, doth remove mountains of objections in the mind to be cast into the sea, where they shall sink, and never rise again to stand before the understand- ing. And inasmuch as God hath been pleased, in this last age of the world, to chuse two men to be a light unto the world, and to declare the Lord's saving health unto as many as shall receive it, that hath enlightened many that sate in darkness and in the shadow of death, that have been instruments or can- dlesticks to hold the light of life before people, whereby those that have oil in their lamps may enter into the gate of heaven, (that is, faith in their hearts) may enter into heaven while the door is open, and may sup with the God of Heaven. This commission of the Spirit is the door of heaven in this last age, and he that believeth in the doctrine of the true God and his commission, doth enter in at the door of heaven : and though these times may be the worst of times as to temporal affairs, yet it is the best time to the seed of faith to exercise itself, that hath been above this thousand years ; for who 401 knew the form and nature of God till now, and the form and nature of the right devil ; the knowledge of the one causeth the soul to mount up to heaven, and the knowledge of the other maketh the soul descend into the lowest hell, and ascend out of it again. These things are wonderful hard to understand by them that have no faith, but to those that have faith in the true God, and in the commission of the Spirit, it is very easy ; which I do not question you nor George Gamble, though I thus speak. Friend Moss, I hope the books that were sent to George Gamble did not receive much damage, though they passed through great casualties. Likewise I heard that George Gamble was in some trouble about quartering of soldiers, but I hope it is not so bad as it was re- ported. I am a writing an answer to William Penn's book, and as soon as I can I shall get them printed ; but I know not how any can be conveyed safe to you in that country. This is all at present, only my love and my wife's love remembered unto yourself and George Gamble, and my love to Colonel Phaire and his wife, and all friends else in the faith there with you. I rest your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, August 11, 1673. 3 E 402 Friend, I would desire you to deliver this paper enclosed to what Quakers you think will faithfully read it in the Meeting ; I have sent it unsealed for you to read, and, if you think it worth your pains, to take a copy of it before you deliver it to them ; because if they should deal deceitfully with that, and hide it from others, you have a copy of the same may the better convince gainsayers. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mr. Thomas Tompkinson, of Slade- house, bearing date from London, August 11, 1073. Loving and kind Friend in the true faith, Thomas Tompkinson, I RECEIVED your letter, bearing date June 27 1673, but I could not well give you an answer of it since, because I have been much employed in writ- ing, both in the answer to Penn's book, and other- wise ; so that I cannot perfect the answer not as yet, because of several occasions doth happen which doth hinder me ; and as for that business concerning the oaths, and receiving the Sacrament, it doth not belong to you, and if it should come to be forced upon you, it is not lawful for you to take it ; for whoever doth take it now, will as soon take an oath to the con- trary, when occasion is, for this business will not 403 hold long at the lock it is now : but I suppose our friend Mr. Delamain hath given you some satisfac- tion in this business before now ; and as for our friend Hall, that doth desire me to send a book bound altogether, I thought it convenient to let you know before I send it that I had none bound, until about two weeks since I have met with a book-binder that hath bound me some, and there is all the books bound together, except The Mortality of the Soul, and there is none of them to be had, nor hath not been a long time ; neither is there any clasps to them that are bound now, it being dangerous to put clasps on, but they are well covered with good strong covers ; besides, there is never a Divine Looking- Glass single to be had but what is bound in the whole set, if you would give twice the price, therefore I would wish you to make much of them you have, for they will be very hard to come by ere long ; so that if our friend Hall will have one of them as they are, without The Mortality or clasps, I will send him one ; the price of it is eleven shillings, as it always was ; so if he do like of it, let me know by what carrier I shall send it, and I will send it to you. So being in haste I shall take leave at present, only my love and my wife's love remembered unto your- self, and to your wife, and Thomas Hall, and all friends in the faith there with you. I rest and remain your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. The Pattern, London, August 11, 1673. 3E2 104 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mrs. Dorothy Carter, bearing date January 16, 16J4. Dear Friend in the true faith, Dorothy Carter, THIS is to certify you, that I received your letter dated January 8, 16J4, and am glad to hear that yourself, and all the rest of friends you make mention of are in health : and as for Mr. Goodwyn taking no notice, nor speaking any thing concerning his faith in this commission, do not you be troubled at it, neither do you speak to him about it at all, except he speak to you first ; for if his heart be falling from that affection and love he had once to it, in the days of your daughter's life, let him go, for every one must stand by his own faith ; but his faith, which will not hold out to the end, will miss of the end of his faith, which is the salvation of his soul ; and if he did procure a blessing from me, through your daughter's prompting him on to ask it of me, yet if he stick not to it with all his heart, and with all his soul, to his life's end, he will lose the benefit of it as others have done : but seeing he doth not rebel against it, nor speak for it, let him alone ; if he be contented, I am contented ; if he make no men- tion of it, I advise you to do the same, and there is no question but he will find trouble enough in the world, even as the sparks fly upwards, which is the portion of every man and woman in the world, more or less ; but happy are those that have peace in the faith of thi& commission of the Spirit. 405 Also you say William Newcombe is intended to go to Virginia, and take two of his children along with him. I wonder what is in mens minds to run amongst the heathens, that are without God in the world ; besides, the climate doth not agree with the English nature to live there contentedly ; but some men, when the world frowns upon them, having not pa- tience to submit, they run into a present destruction : just as if a man should seek the living among the dead, so doth all that goeth out of England for want of livelihood, thinking to find it there. I have known several hath done so thinking to find life, but they have found death instead of life. My nature is so contrary to go out of the land of Canaan, of England, amongst the heathen, that I had rather live in prison here all days of my life. But where men cannot bear the Cross patiently, they seek deliverance by running into a present destruction ; which frees men from all troubles, but not with peace of mind As for those books he saith he hath of mine, which he thinks come to fifty shillings, I cannot think he hath so many ; I know not what counsel to give you con- cerning them, neither would I hinder you from doing the man good, for I know money is scarce with most people now-a-days ; but I shall lay no bonds upon you in this thing, but leave it to the freedom of your own hearts ; but if you do buy those books of Wil- liam Newcombe, I would not have you send them to A^irginia amongst the heathen, it will signify nothing at all ; I have lost several books that way, so that I will never send book more by sea ; I would wish you to keep them yourselves, and if you cannot tell how to bestow them, if you please send them to me, and I will put them off as I can. This is all I can say as to this, but leave it to your own liberty ; and as 406 for Capt. Wildey, Mr. Cawley, Mr. Delamain, Mr. Saddington, they are all well, but Mrs. Whalley is dead and buried ; she got an extreme cold in her head and teeth about Michaelmas last past, and she would needs be let blood ; so the doctor let her blood, till her life was almost gone, but with much ado she was preserved alive in a great deal of misery a quarter of a year; she was buried upon New- Year's day, when I was at Braintree, in Essex, at Mr. White- head's house; but I saw her before I went, and she was very well satisfied in her mind as to her eternal happiness ; she had not the least doubt in her ; if she had not been let blood she might have lived many years ; and as for Mrs. Griffith she is out of town, and will not be in London this two weeks, as I hear by my daughter White, neither have I seen Mrs. Griffith since she brought me your letter, which desired me to lay out six shillings for Sarah Hatter, which I let Mrs. Griffith have; and as for Sarah I have not seen her since I came to town, but I hear she goeth out to work a-days, and comes home to my daughter's at night ; I heard nothing, but that she is pretty well, and that she cannot write to you as she would, she being so bad a scribe ; and when she is at leisure then her father is not, and when he is at leisure then she is not. When Mrs. Griffith cometh to town she shall have your letter, hoping she will satisfy you further. This is all at present, only my love, with my wife's, remembered unto you, and Betty Marsden, Betty Webster, Anne Mallate, and all friends else. Your Friend, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, London^ Jan. 16, 1674. 407 A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton, to Mrs. Frances Man, containing her blessing, dated January 23, 1674*. Loving Friend in the true Faith, Frances Man, I UNDERSTAND that you are not in health, so that you cannot conveniently go abroad, neither is there freedom for me nor my wife to come and se you: therefore I thought good to write these few lines unto you, to comfort and bear up your spirit in your trouble, as followeth : I have had experience of late days of your faith in the true God, and in this commision of the spirit, though I know it was long before your heart did close with it ; but when you received me in the name of a prophet, you did set to your seal, in your own soul, that I was true, and sent of God ; so that when you received me, you received him that sent me, even the true God ; so that after you believed, you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, which is the blessing and assurance of everlasting life, then did the day-star arise in your heart ; that is, the act of faith is the star that did arise in your heart, to enlighten your understanding in the things of eternity, in those deep hidden mysteries of God becoming flesh, and the devil becoming flesh. Upon these two foundations standeth eternal life, and eter- nal death, and the act of faith in man is that which giveth the assurance of everlasting life, which assu- rance of it doth abide in yourself, which hath ap- peared in you, in that you have not been ashamed of your faith before men, but have justified your faith 408 in this commission of the spirit against all gain- sajers ; so that you, being justified by faith in your own soul, I know you have peace with God, and so the assurance of your eternal happiness on the other side of death : so that I can truly say by you, as Christ did, when on earth, to his disciples that be- lieved on him, Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears that hear, and your heart that under stands the things that belong unto your peace ; which is the peace of God that passeth all understanding, which none upon earth have but those that truly believe in this commission of the Spirit ; and because you have stretched forth the hand of faith, and have taken and eat of the tree of life, you shall live for ever ; for by faith you have eaten of the flesh of God, in that you have believed that God became flesh ; and you have drank of his blood, in that you have believed that God died, and shed his most precious blood to re- deem the seed of Adam ; so that faith in his blood it hath purified your heart from that thick darkness of unbelief, which lieth upon all people in the world ; but those of this faith. That is that water of life that doth quinch the thirsty soul, so that you shall never hunger and thirst more after the forgiveness of sin, nor after the assurance of everlasting life ; and these words of mine shall be as the leaves that fall from the tree of life, which is for the healing of the nations, so shall they be for the healing of your troubled soul with the seed of the serpent in this life. This faith is the faith of God's elect, that removeth that moun- tain of darkness and ignorance that lieth before the understandings of all mankind by nature ; this faith is that which doth ascend up to heaven, and pierceth through the sky, and beholdeth our God, our king, and our redeemer, upon the throne of his glory r 400 which faith is an evidence to the soul, that we shall see him face to face, who was dead, but is alive ; and behold he is alive for evermore. These things considered, let faith and patience bear up your soul in this troublesome world, and after a little season you shall enter into the possession of those eternal joys, and endless pleasures. This with my love presented unto you, I rest and remain your friend in the eternal Truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. JanuaryZS, 1674. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowickc Muggleton to Elizabeth Dickinson, Juti. being her Blessing, hearing date March 6, J6J4. Elizabeth Dickinson the Younger, I UNDERSTAND, by Goodwife Love, that you are not well, but rather drawing near the grave, and that you would gladly have seen me before you die ; yet being comforted in yourself that you shall see me hereafter in heaven, I was desired to write a few lines unto you, to add to your comfort before you go hence, and shall be seen no more. I have con- sidered your tender age, and weak distempered body, ever since you were born ; yet with tender looking to, your weak distempered" nature hath been pre- served and upheld to this day, yet the root of your 3 F disease doth still remain, and cannot be cast out but by death, it being born with you ; but in the resur- rection this vile distempered body of yours, which is now mortal, shall rise an immortal, spiritual body, capable of eternal joy and glory, where no diseases, pain or sorrow can come, where body and soul shall live in joy and pleasure for evermore. And though I know there can be no fears of death to arise in your heart, because of the tenderness of your age, you be- ing uncapable of actual sin, the sting of death is taken away from you, for the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law ; but that being not capa- ble of the breach of any law, so no sting of death can lay hold of you ; I knowing this, would add a word of comfort to strengthen your spirit here, and to your happiness hereafter in the kindom of eternal glory, where is joy and pleasure at the right-hand of our God and King, and our Redeemer, for evermore. And that you may be the more satisfied and com- forted in the assurance of everlasting happiness in the life to come, I do declare you, Elizabeth the younger, one of the blessed of the Lord, both in soul and body, to all eternity. And if you do live till Whitsuntide, I do intend to see you if possible. o So resteth your mend, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON The Postern, March <5, 1674. ; 411 Postscript of a Letter to Mrs. Futerell. SOVEREIGN means to give you peace in this life, and in the life to come ; and you seem to be very well satisfied in it ever since ; but now about the death of this child, I perceive your faith faileth you, in that you have let such a conceit (that your child was bewitched) to enter into your heart, to cause this melancholy humour in you, that maketh ship- wreck of your natural peace here, and will eclipse your spiritual peace hereafter, if it be not reasoned out in your own soul, for my faith is stedfast in what I said unto you, therefore let your faith be stedfast in me without doubting, and you shall never perish in the peace of your mind, neither in this life, nor in the life to come, but shall have everlasting life ; and let not melancholy thoughts of your child's be- ing bewitched, or evil surmise, enter into your mind, but let your faith on God, and in this commission of the Spirit, and patience in temporal troubles, possess your soul, then will you receive an hundred fold of peace and satisfaction in the life to come, and life ever- lasting. This is the true way to have peace in this life, and in the life to come ; and what can I do more for you than I have done to settle your mind in peace ? Yet if you have conceived any prejudice in your heart against any believers, though it be causeless, yet I shall part you asunder, so that you and your husband shall have no society with them, nor they with you, no more than any stranger ; so that you may be sa- tisfied, and your peace may be perserved, all shall iii . be well. 3 F 2 This is as much as can be said in this matter, and all I can say at present, hoping you will take my ad- vice in what I have said in this paper, that my words may take place in you to your peace of mind here, and eternal happiness hereafter, as it hath done in several others. t " This with my true love remembered to yourself, I rest your friend in the eternal Truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, London, June II, 1674. '"' A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet Lodowickf Mugqleton to Mrs. Hampson of Cambridge. i> Dear Friend Mrs. Hampson, I UNDERSTAND you have some trouble up- on your mind about the death of your child, as if it was bewitched ; I thought your faith, in what I had declared concerning witches, had been stronger than so to think that witches should have power over in- fants, which are not capable of fear, for fear and be- lief is the inlet to all witchcraft, fear entered first into the mind, and belief enters into the blood, and so men, women, and children comes to be bewitched ; but I suppose your child was not capable of any of these two ; likewise frights to children may cause fits, like to witchcraft fits, vet not bewitched in the . 7 / least ; besides, children in the conception, when they are conceived in the womb, may partake of thatme-r 413 lancholy blood in the nature of the parents, or of any other distemper or disease in the parents, as I by ex- perience do know by my own children, two sons by my second wife, as sweet children as eye could look on, yet partakers of their mother's nature, who was a comely woman to see to, yet of a melancholy drop- sical nature and humour, if things did not go well in this world, as no man can assure his wife all things shall prosper always, because troubles are as sparks of fire that fly upwards, and fall down to its centre again, especially where children are. The first-born son was stricken with a convulsive fit, when it was a year old, as it sat upon my knee, when it was merry, and it lived till it was three years old ; afterwards the second son I had by her did grow up and prosper till he was three years old, after that the evil did break out, and it encreased to the running evil from place to place, and he lived thus till he was nine years old, though I used means to help him, but all in vain ; and when the child died I was glad, knowing all the children I had by her did partake of her melancholy and dropsical nature, and not any witchcraft powers in the least ; and I know your nature is given much to melancholy and discontent of mind, produced out of your own surmisings, which are as false as God is true, so that you have created to yourself fears where no fear is, and sorrow where you might have had joy, and grief where you might have had comfort ; and though you are not sensible of the hurt it doth your person, it being grown strong, yet your mind being troubled, it corrupts your nature, in that it enters into your blood ; and the grief your husband hath to see you in this condition, that nothing will comfort you, it hurteth his nature also, which never was very healthful since I knew him ; so that what evil is produced in your body by fears and melan- 4L4 choly, you must expect your children must partake at one time or another, and you have no remedy but patience ; therefore I shall say this unto you, I re- member when you were first married your melancholy mind wanted rest, not only in this life, but you wanted peace and assurance of happiness in the life to come, and for that purpose you desired a blessing of me, which upon your request I gave you, and you seemed to be satisfied in it ever since; and my faith is stedfast in what I said unto, therefore let yours be stedfasjb in me, without doubting, and you shall never perish, but have everlasting life ; and let not these melancholy thoughts of witchcraft, or evil surmises, enter into your mind, but let your faith in God, and in the commission of the Spirit, and patience in temporal troubles, refresh your soul, then will you receive an hundred fold of peace and satisfaction in this life, and in the life to come life everlasting. This is the true way to have peace in this life, and in the life to come ; and what can I do more for you than I have done, to set your mind in peace ? Yet if you have conceived any prejudice in your heart against any of the believers, though it be causeless, yet I shall part you asunder, so that you nor your husband shall have no society with them, nor they with you ; so your peace can be preserved, all shall be well. This is as much as can be said in this matter, and all I shall say at present, hoping you will take my advice in what I have said in this paper, that my words may take place in you to your peace of mind here, and eternal happiness hereafter, as it hath done in several others. This with my true love remembered to yourself and husband, I rest your friend in the eternal Truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. Postern, London, June 11, 1674. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowickc Muggleton to Isabella Malum, Quaker, dated from London, October 1, 1674-, and directed to her at Nottingham. Isabella Malum, I RECEIVED a letter, dated Nottingham, the 12th of the fifth month, 1674. I know it is not of your hand-writing, but it is the testimony of your own heart, as you have declared ; wherein you have shewed what seed and nature you are of, even the seed of the serpent, in that you have been left to the reasonings of your own heart, as King Saul was, to reject the prophet of the Lord, in sinning against the commandment of the prophet Samuel, and go to a witch ; so that the good Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evil spirit of the Lord was sent unto him; so it is with you: you have rejected and despised me, the prophet of the Lord, and have given your testimony against the good Spirit of the Lord, and did strive with your evil spirit of reason, the devil in you; which good spirit would have led you through that narrow gate which leads to life eternal, which few do find, or enter therein. But I perceive the evil spirit of reason in you hath prevailed, and hath the victory over you, and hath led you captive, insomuch that it hath caused you to despise and reject the good Spirit of the Lord, in his messenger, which brings glad tidings of salvation to all that 1 I. T ' !_' truly believe in him. , rr-M o 'A / j ,,1 11 i ***! 1. ihis spirit ot truth you call a seducing spirit of Lodowicke Muggleton, which you say leads to 416 death and destruction ; so that the good Spirit of the Lord that did strive with you, and had almost per- suaded you to join with it, as you have expressed in your testimony, is now departed from you ; and the evil spirit of reason in you is now to be your guide ; and the good Spirit shall strive no more with you ; for you shall be given up to a reprobate mind, as Saul was ; and the hope of such hypocrites as you shall perish. 2. You say, it is now upon your heart to declare something how you came to lose your condition, and to backslide from the Quakers, and from that light within, which you call the light of Christ, which did reprove you of sin, and convince your conscience of the vanities, and customs, and fashions of this world. As to this, I say, if you had been at rest, and peace of mind, in the Quakers principles and practice, you would never have backslidden from them. For the cause why people run from one thing to another is, because they are not at rest where they are. For this I say, if religious people could find peace, and rest of mind, in the doctrine and practice of the seven churches, there would never a man or woman believe me ; for there is none believes me, but those that are lost ; for I am in the same condition as Christ was when Upon earth ; he came but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, not to those that were settled in a form of religion, as the Scribes and Pha- risees were, and as all the seven churches are now : so that if you had found rest in the Quakers way, why did you not keep there? "Why did you backslide from them? Certainly, if the Quakers way had been the truth, (as you say now,) it would have given you rest then. And are you so bewitched, to 417 think that you shall find more peace in that truth you backslided from now, than you did when you were in your innocency ? Will the Quakers love backsliders better than they did before ? I am sure, the true God, nor his messengers, doth not love back- sliders, nor hypocrites, nor rebels, as they do inte- grity and uprightness of heart. But the Quakers people being ignorant of the true God, perhaps their God, an infinite Spirit without a body, or that God in them, will be more merciful than the true God : perhaps their God, an infinite Spirit, will love you better for your backsliding from them ; and the more because you had like to have been catched in Mug- gleton's snare, as you say. But I can do as Peter did by his, pick out of his snare or net the good fish, and cast the bad away. I can spare such as you are very well. And whereas you say you backslided from that light within you, which you call Christ, which did reprove you, and convince your conscience of sin, and of the vanity of this world ; this light of Christ was nothing else but the law written in your heart, which did accuse you when your mind was vain ; and when your mind did not run after vanity, the law written in your heart did excuse your conscience. Indeed this law was written in every man's heart by Christ, the only God ; therefore may be called the light of Christ, that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world: but Christ's person is distinct from this law written in man's heart; and this light of the law is distinct from Christ ; and whoever maketh the law written in his heart, that accuseth and excuseth, to be the very Christ, as the Quakers do, that Christ within them shall prove the greatest devil to all eternity. 3. You say, you desired to see Lodowicke Mug- 3G 418 gleton's books : you say you heard some places here and there read, and you were asked the question, whether ever you heard friends declare such things ? And you said, nay. Likewise you do confess, you were bid to take heed of judging or speaking against him. Here was the desire of reason, the devil in you, to see those books : and you say you heard them read. Did those that shewed you those books, force them, upon you, without your desire, and contrary to your mind ? They were lent unto you ; for I am sure you bought none. What provoked you to desire to see them for your own hurt ? Likewise you had a charge given you, not to speak against them ; but you con- trad ly have spoken evil of them in a high nature, insomuch that you have spoken against your own soul ; for had you not been of that reprobate seed, you would have had a care of speaking evil of those books that were so lovingly lent you : they cost you nothing : had you been of the elect seed, though you could not have believed them, or not liked them, you would have been kept from speaking evil of them. 4. You say you had got some of his books, and reading of them, your heart became dark, having lost your guide, which caused you not to believe in him, as the only prophet and messenger of the most High God. Here the spirit of reason was struck dark in you, by reading those books, because the doctrine contained in those books did so far surmount the doc- trine or principles of the Quakers, as the sun in its brightness doth the twinkling star ; so that the light of the law in you, which was but as the light of a star in you, which is nothing else but the light of nature, which guideth men to do things honest and just between man and man. And this light of nature 410 is that light of Christ in you, and that truth you so much talk of; for this I know, that there is never a Quaker in the world that hath any other light of Christ in him, but the light of nature, not as he is in the state of a Quaker ; and this was the cause you were stark dark in the reading those books, because the light in you was put out, and caused you to walk in darkness ; having lost the light of nature, you lost your guide; which, if you could have stood still awhile in patience, you should have seen the salva- tion of the true God, and have been brought out of that darkness into his marvellous light, which is heavenly, far exceeding the light of the law in you ; which would have caused you indeed to believe him to be the true prophet and messenger of the most high God ; but you being the seed of the serpent, heaven was not appointed for you, but hell only. 5. You say, I sent a letter to a follower of mine at Nottingham, that if the two women that were fallen from the Quakers, would turn to them again, let them return; but if they do, they will perish for ever. Likewise I said in that letter, if I be in the truth, all that believe in my commission shall be saved ; but if I be not in the truth, all shall be damned that believe in me. These, or to this effect, you say, was part of my letter. Further you say, the hearing of this letter struck you to the heart, and much trouble seized upon you, that you should venture your salvation upon the words of a mortal man. Also you say, Oh ! how you cried to the Lord, that you might once more be worthy to be a door-keeper amongst the congregation of the faithful, before you go hence, and shall be seen no more. As to this, I did send a letter to a follower of mine at Nottingham, that if the two women that were 3G 2 420 fallen from the Quakers would return again to them, let them return; for I did understand, that the Quakers did solicit them much, with exhortations, and persuasions, and by-letters to them, to return to them again. The letters I have yet to shew ; and I find in those letters, that those two women were in a great streight in their minds, to give the Quakers an absolute answer, whether they would return to them, or keep to Muggleton. I heard those two women were in a great quandary, whether to keep to me, or return to them ; and especially Isabella Malum was inclinable to fall back to the Quakers. Whereupon I wrote that letter to my friend, that if they would return back to the Quakers again, let them go ; but if they did, they would perish for ever ; and so you will ; for whoever setteth the hand to the plough of faith, in this commission, and looketh back, will perish to eternity. And further I say, that if I be a true prophet, as I know I am, all those that truly believe me, and hold out to the end, shall surely be saved ; but if I be a false prophet, as you say I am, then all those that believe me shall be damned, and I myself shall be Jamned, for being deceived myself, and deceiving others. This must be ventured by all men and women, else no salvation can be attained unto in this life. Therefore it concerns all you ministers and speakers, to be sure you are not false ministers of Christ your- selves, to deceive others ; for I can assure you, if you are, you will be damned to eternity yourselves ; and all those that are deceived by you will perish also. Likewise you say, the hearing of this struck you to the heart, and much trouble seized upon you, in 421 that you should venture your salvation upon the words of a mortal man. As to this I say, it had been well for you, had you ventured your salvation upon the words of a mortal man. Was not all the Scripture given forth by mortal men ? Was not Moses a mortal man, who set life and death before the people ; and those that put their trust in his words did live ; but those that did not venture their lives upon his words were put to death, as may be read abun- dantly in the Scriptures. Were not Peter, and the rest of the apostles, mortal men ? yet the keys of heaven, and of hell, were given unto them ; and whose sins were forgiven by them on earth, were forgiven by God in heaven ; and whose sins were not forgiven by them here on earth, were not forgiven by God in heaven. Now ought not those that heard them, and believed them, to venture their salvation upon the words of these mortal men, that preached life and salvation by Jesus Christ unto them ; yea, all that were saved by faith in their doctrine, ventured their salvations upon the words of those mortal men ; and whoever did not venture their salvation upon those mortal mens words that heard them, were damned to eter- nity : so likewise, if you had ventured your salva- tion upon the words of me, the Lord's true prophet, which am but a mortal man, you should assuredly have been saved, as many others can witness : but in regard you could not venture your salvation upon the words of a mortal man, you will assuredly be damned to eternity; for this was God's way ever since he chose Moses, to give authority to mortal men to bless and curse to eternity ; and that men 422 and women should believe them, and venture their salvation upon their bare words. Also you say, Oh ! how you cried unto the Lord, that you might be once more worthy to be a door- keeper. Here you speak like an ignorant, silly, foolish woman, that desires to be a door-keeper amongst the congregation of the faithful. To discover your ignorance, let me tell you, that there is no door-keepers of the congregation of the faithful but men, and they must be such as prophets and apostles, who have the keys of heaven and hell. Such men as these do open Ihe doors of mens hearts here on earth, and letteth the spirit or soul of man out of that prison of darkness, which every man and woman's souls are in by nature. Such mortal men as these have the keys of the door of heaven, to open the door of man's heart, that he may see the light of heaven, and the glory of God in heaven, with the glory of saints and angels, in form like men, by the preaching of Christ, as Peter did : he opened the door of Lydia's heart, and shewed her the glory and benefit she should receive, even life and salvation to eternity, by the death, resurrection, and ascension of that man Christ Jesus, which the apostles preached. Such men as these are door-keepers of the house of God here on earth ; which house is the congrega- tion of faithful believers. Therefore it is that David, who was a king and a prophet, desired to be but a door-keeper in the house of the Lord, and God granted his desire, and gave him the key of heaven, that is, to prophecy of the coming of God in the flesh, who was Christ, who was* the door, the 423 way, the truth, and the life ; and no man could enter into life eternal, but by this door, and none could open this door but those that have the key; and none hath the key but commissionated men, as Moses, the prophets, the apostles, John Reeve and Lodowicke Muggleton. These mortal men were made door-keepers in the house of God here on earth; but they shall sit upon thrones of glory in heaven. But I never read of any woman that God made door-keeper of his house here on earth ; so that your choice shall not be granted you, but the con- trary ; for you shall have the door of hell opened unto you, where you shall go among the congrega- tion of the faithless and unbelieving reprobates, where is utter darkness for evermore. 6. You say you had a book written by Lodowicke Muggleton in your house, called, A Looking-Glass for George Fox. You say a most wicked book ; and you often wished it out of your house ; it being an aggravation of your trouble, when you thought of it. It seems this book became a wicked book to you, and an aggravation and trouble when you thought of it. The cause why it was an aggravation to your mind was, because you were the seed of the serpent, as aforesaid ; for those books are an aggravation to the mind of none but reprobates ; for the book cost you nothing. If you had bought it, you would have esteemed better of it, and it would have been no trouble to your mind ; and if you could not have believed, you would have been kept from speaking evil of it. But I perceive for the most part, those that have these books lent them for nothing, are the greatest despisers, and do stumble 424 most at them, as you have done. But I know the cause why they have been such an aggravation and trouble to your mind is, because you thought if you should believe Muggleton's writings, there will not be so many loaves and fishes in believ- ing this, as there will be among the Quakers people ; for he promises no loaves nor fishes at all ; and there is so few that believe him in those parts ; so that you cannot expect but very few loaves and fishes here. But the Quakers people are many, and there is more loaves of bread and fishes to eat ; therefore said you in your heart, I will return to the Quakers again ; for you are of the same mind as those hypocrites were that followed Christ for the loaves ; for I am confident that if I had promised more loaves and fishes than you found among the Quakers, you would never have returned to them again. But, much good may you do the Quakers, now they have got you back again; they have laboured hard for you. For this I say, it never was my practice to hire people to believe my doc- trine ; for if I could but promise all those that believe me loaves and fishes, then should I have more disciples than the Quakers have ; therefore it is that so few poor Quakers believe me, hardly any ; (but a many rich Quakers believe me), because I cannot feed so many of your hypocrites with five loaves and two fishes as Christ did when on earth ; for there was Tery few of those five thousand, but poor ; and that they were hypocrites is clear by Christ's words, John vi. 26. Jesus said, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek me not because ye saw the mira- cles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. So likewise you would have followed me, not for my doctrine-sake, but for the loaves-sake ; if I could have fed you with loaves to the fill ; for I know your desire of heart is only to labour for the meat which per isheth, and not for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life ; which all those that do truly believe my commission and doctrine do eat of, and are satis- fied, in the assurance of everlasting life, which God shall give them in the resurrection at the last day, which will not be a quarter of an hour after their death ; for there is no time to the dead ; time belongeth only to life. 7- You say, now it is in your heart further to de- clare, that you do for ever judge and condemn that spirit of darkness that did lead you from the light (as you say) to join with Lodowicke Muggleton. You say you do also believe that Lodowicke Mug- gleton is a false prophet, and seducer, and a blas- phemer of the living and true God, who is an infinite and unchangeable Spirit,