over dead Clay so hath God a prerogative Power over all Life to make what Life he will a Vessel of Wrath for the manifestation of his own Power and Glory 18. For if all Life were made to be happy or all Mankind sav'd then where would Gods Honour appear But because the greatest part of Mankind are made Vessels of Wrath to bear eternal Torments therefore it is that God's Redeemed ones shall praise him 19. So that there is a perticular People to be sav'd but my Fear was that I was none of the Redeem'd 20. And it was said within me dost thou consider the nature of a prerogative Power that is above all Law who shall dispute with a prerogative Power that is above all Law and can do what it will with living Creatures even as the Potter doth what he will with the dead Clay CHAP. XI The Prophets further Reasoning in himself how hardly God delt with him and of his Reasoning against Adam And shews how a contrary Seed or Voice in him repeld his Arguments 1. WHen I consider'd this I wished in myself I had never been born then had I not been sensible neither of Joy nor Sorrow I did not so much seek after Heaven as to be freed from Hell 2. Again I Reasoned in myself wishing that I had dyed in my Infancy I thought if I were a Vessel of Wrath my Torments would be the less than now I am grown to maturity of Age. 3. But the Answer said to this Though thy Torment be less than others yet it is Eternal This Eternity struck a deep Fear in me which made me almost despair 4. Again I reasoned in myself saying in my Thoughts That God dealt somthing hardly with me that he should save Adam which brought me and all Mankind into this Condemnation so that I must be damned for original Sin which I received from my first Parents 5. And that God should save him that brought me into this Condition and Condemn me that could no way avoid it neither by Prayer towards God nor by Righteousness towards Man 6. So that right or wrong I must be damn'd by God's prerogative Will and which way to help myself I could not tell 7. Then I reasoned in my Heart with Anger against Adam saying within myself God made him upright and gave him Power to stand but he did not but did fall from that Innocency and Uprightness and so corrupted his Seed And so by this means do I come to be damned 8. Then was I answered in myself as it were with a Voice without me saying How wilt thou help thyself if God will save Adam and condemn thee shall not a prerogative Power do what he will 9. Then was brought to my Mind that saying Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Before the Children had done either Good or Evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand So that it is not of him that willeth nor him that runeth but God that sheweth Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardeneth 10. In this I saw that a prerogative Power and Will of God is not to be contended with 11. These Scriptures and Arguments upon them come so powerfully upon my Spirit that my Heart failed me and my Hope begun to turn to Dispair CHAP. XII The Prophet raiseth Arguments more to give him some Hope that he might escape Hell but another mosttional Voice gave Answer which quite frustrated all his Hopes again 1. AFter a while I recovered another Argument or two which I thought might give me some Hope to escape Hell Which was this I said in my Heart There can be no Hell till the Day of Judgment and except God doth raise me and others again I cannot be damned hoping there would be no Resurrection at all then should I ly still in the Earth for ever 2. Then Answer was made me to this Dost thou think that God would be so unrighteous as to deceave Abraham Isaack and Jacob Moses and the Prophets and Apostles and all righteous Men that believed and put their Trust in God in hope of the Resurrection And if God doth not raise them again then God hath made them suffer great Sufferings and loss of the Lives of many of them in hope of the Life to come and of the Reward hereafter which if there be no Resurrection of the Dead after this natural Death 3. And if God doth not raise them again they cannot enjoy any such thing as eternal Happiness Then to what purpose did God spake those Words and make such glorious Promises to Abraham Isaack and Jacob and to the Prophets and Apostles 4. That he would be the God of Abraham the God of Isaack and the God of Jacob for God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living for all live unto him 5. For said I in my Heart if God do not raise Abraham Isaack and Jacob again in the Resurrection then perhaps God may not raise me which would have gladed my Heart that I could have been sure God would never have raised the Dead 6. But the Answer said to me That God is powerful and hath Power to fulfil his Promise he hath made unto Man in that he can and will raise Abraham Isaack and Jacob and the rest at the last Day and will give them the Inheritance he promised them in this Life Consider said the motional Voice what an infinite prerogative Power can do 7. Because God doth not raise the Dead daily as he doth other visible Wonders And in this visible Creation thou doth think that God cannot raise the Dead when they are turn'd to Dust because thou never didst read he did 8. But this know That God can do that which he never did when his time appointed is come For there is a necessity that God should raise the Dead and that there is a Day or Time prefix'd in God's Will which none knoweth no not the Angels in Heaven but himself only 9 Also the Resurrection of the Dead is the last great Work God hath to do And he hath power to do this his last Work to put an End to this World as he had power to Create this VVorld and make a Beginning of it 10. So that God will perform his Promise in the Resurrection to all the Righteous in that he will give them everlasting Life in another Kingdom above the Stars and he will execute that Damnation upon the Seed of the Serpent wicked unbelieving persecuting Reprobates here upon this Earth where they acted all their Wickedness to Eternity 11. And that none that have lost their Lives for his Promise sake but it shall be given them Life everlasting that day Which if God do not raise them again then is he the God of the Dead and not of the Living 12. Then was Abraham Isaack and Jacob their Faith vain The Prophets and the Apostles Faith vain and their Condision in believing God would raise them again
in Scarlet and sat on the Judgment Seat against me shall be in Hell And that lofty bauling Spirit of his shall be his Devil the one shall be as Fire and the other as Brimstone Burning together to all Eternity 26. And he shall remember in the Resurrection when he is Raised again that he gave Judgment upon me for Writing this Sentance to others and I am sure the God of Heaven will not deliver him from those Eternal Torments 27. There is a Necessity that these Men of all others should be Damn'd to Eternity For there was more Enemies against me then could be Numbered through the Occasion of these Five Men aforementioned 28. And I could freely forgive the rude Multitude for they knew not what they did but there is no forgiveness of these Five Men nor Jury nor Judge nor Officers that gave their consent to that Judgment that was passed upon me the 27th of January 1676. 29. Therefore I have left these Five Men upon Record that the Age to come may see the wickedness of them and take heed how they Persecute Innocent Men that doth not break any Temporal Law And especially such Men that hath a Commission from God to give Sentance of Eternal Damnation upon them least they come under the same Condemnation as these Men are under 30. This I have left upon Record for the Age to come after my Death some of the most Remarkable Sufferings which I have passed through in the Year 1676. CHAP. VI. Of the Prophets deliverance out of Prison of the Price and Vallue that was made of him The Rewards to the two Seeds at the last Day 1. NOW having given an Account of my Sufferings it will be necessary to give an Account of my deliverance out of those Troubles 2. While I was in the Press-yard Prisoner the Sheriffs did send several times by the Goal keepers to see what I would do about the Fine but they were at no certainty what they required At last the Clerk of Newgate said they would take the 5th Part which was one Hundred Pound 3. I was unwilling to give so much I let it alone a quarter of a Year longer for some Reasons I had in my self after that time I sent a Letter to Treat with them about the Fine The Sheriffs Names was one Sr. John Peak Sheriff of London the other was Sr. Thomas Stamp Sheriff of Middlesex 4. But they were very high and would not abate one Shilling of one Hundred Pound and the cause why was because some of the Goal Keepers had Proffered one Hundred Pound for me to keep a Prisoner for ever or else to have a large Summ of Money for my Ransome 5. I perceive had not the Shreiffs Honour layn at the stake I had been Bought and Sold as Joseph was in Egypt for a Prisoner during Life or till such Ransome was Paid It would have been a great Disparragment to the Sheriffs if they had Sold me such as was never done in England before 6. But they having an Eye to Credit and somewhat to Conscience they would not do such Wickedness but however it caused them to abate nothing of one Hundred Pound neither would they give any time but Pay down presently 7. So We Borrowed an Hundred Pound the next Day and gave to them upon the 19th Day of July 1677 and the same Day at Night I was Released out of Prison and many of the Believers do keep that Day as a Feast Day every Year in Remembrance of my Deliverance out of Prison 8. For I was Prized at a goodly Price far Higher than the Lord of Life when he was on Earth He was valued at but Thirty Pieces of Silver the Thirty Pieces of Silver was Thirty Pound but they valued me at a Hundred Pieces of Silver for the Thirty Pieces of Silver they valued Christ at must be so much else it would not have Bought the Potters Field 9. Now the cause why they valued me at such a High Price above my Lord and Master it was because they knew I had some Interest in this World And many followers of me therefore they valued me at such a High Price as 100 Pieces of Silver 10. And as the Thirty Pieces of Silver was the Price of Innocent Blood therefore not fit to be put into the Treasury to be Expended upon any Holy use or to Relieve the Poor and the like but to Buy a Potters Field to Bury the Stinking Carcasses of strangers Thieves and Murderers insomuch that the Thirty Pieces of Silver was bestowed on the basest way suitable to the Purchase being the Price of Innocent Blood 11. So likewise the Hundred Pieces of Silver they valued me at it was the Price of Innocent Blood also tho' not unto Death as our Lord was a very Goodly Price 12. And this Money will not be put into the Treasury to repair Churches or Relieve the Poor but will be spent basely in Lust and Drunkenness and in Volumptiousness suitable to the Purchase of it being the Price of Innocent Blood 13. Thus I have left upon Record the substance of the whole matter as short as I can both of my Sufferings and my Deliverance out of all those Troubles that hath happened upon me in the Year 1675 and in the Year 1676 and 1677 and in the Year of my Life 67. 14. This is the 5th part of the Acts of John Reeve and Lodowich Muggleton the two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit from the Year 1651 to the Year 1677 I have been preserved and had Experience of the Truth of all these things 15. And wonderful Revelations and passages and Acts that are Writen in these Five Parts that I might leave it as a Legacy for the Age to come upon Record that the unbelieving World may be convinced when I am turned to Dust as my Father Adam is that I was Slandered Reproached Belyed Persecuted Imprisoned and Pilloried without a Cause 16. But I shall be raised again by the Power of that God the Lord Jesus Christ in whom I Believed that he was Dead even the Alpha and Omega and is Alive for Evermore 17. And it will not seem a quarter of an Hours time to me from my Death to my Rising again For there is no time to the Dead Time belongs to the Living 18. And this I know that as the 12 Apostles in the Resurrection shall Sit upon Thrones and Judge the 12 Tribes of Israel those that Believed them when they were upon the Earth They were Judged with an Eternal Blessing of Life Eternal and those that Dispised and Persecuted them when on Earth are Judged by them to be Cursed and Damn'd to Eternity which is a Second Death which is Eternal 19. So shall Reeve and Muggleton in the Resurrection Sit upon Thrones and Judge all True Believers of our Docterin and Commission of the Spirit when we were upon Earth to be Blessed both in Souls and Bodies that were Mortal when they believed us but now Immortal to Eternity 20. And we shall Judge all those Wicked Despisers and Persecutors of us when we were upon Earth with the same Judgment in the Resurrection as we did here on Earth 21. That is they are Cursed in that Soul and Body they shall have in the Resurrection to Eternity and shall remain in utter Darkness here upon this Earth Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth for Evermore Writen by Lodowick Muggleton one of the two last Witnesses and Prophets of the Spirit unto the High and Mighty God the Man Christ Jesus in Glory FINIS
high Priest sat for he was one of the Commissioners of the Ecclesiastical Court with the Maior and Aldermen of the Town and the Town Clarke and all the Officers of the Town were gathered together against me 17. My Examination before them was as follows the Priest's Name was John Gupe the Maiors Name John Allwood the Recorders Name was Needham and the Constables Name was Slater and the Aldermen one was Clarke and another his Name was Pinder the rest I did not know their Names 18. The first thing the Priest asked was what I came into that Country for 19. I said I came to visit some Friends at Notingham and Chesterfield and that I was sent for He asked me where I lived I said at London and what Trade I was of I said a Tailor by Trade and that I lived in Trinity Lane and had fined for most Offices in the Parish were I lived 20. Then he waved that because he thought I was no Housekeeper but a Lodger that hath no certain abiding place but as a Vagabond that goeth to and fro and hath abideing every where So when he saw he could do nothing here then he asked me whether I did beleive the Three Persons in the Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost 21. I answered No I did beleive there was three Names or Titles of Father Son and Holy Ghost but one Person the Lord Jesus Christ 22. He rejoyced at this before the Maior and said this was enough and caused the Recorder to set it down the same words 23. Then he asked me if I was one of the Two Witnesses spoken of in the 11th of the Revelations 24. I answered and said I was one of those Two Witnesses of the Spirit spoken of in the 11th of the Revelations then he commanded the Recorder to set these words down 25. Again he asked me if I had power to damn and to save 26. I answered and said I had power to give Sentance of Damnation upon those that dispised my Doctrin that I declare and to pronounce the Sentance of Salvation upon those that truly beleive it 27. And that you may know that I have Power I do pronounce you Cursed and Damn'd both Soul and Body from the presence of God elect Men and Angels to eternity 28. Then was the Priest struck dumb for a season and when he had recovered himself to his Sences again he said to the Recorder set that down but did not mention a word that the Priest was damn'd 29. Then said the Maior Mr. Mugleton we do not beleive you we do beleive the Apostles 30. I answered and said That will do you but little good now 31. Those words the Recorder was commanded to set down 32. There were many more Words and Circumstances in the Examination but these were the main things they made a Charge against me CHAP. IX Shewing that the Prophet proved before the Priest Maior and Aldermen that Christ was the only God The Priest made no Replycation against it but fauning upon him with fine Words to insnare him against the Government The Prophet's Wisdom discover'd it Of his Commitment 1. BUT this I observed that after I had given the Sentance of Damnation upon the Priest he was very meek and moderate and asked me Questions in the Scriptures concerning Christ being the only God 2. And I opened unto him the First of John In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became Flesh and dwelt amongst us 3. Now said I was not Christ the Word become Flesh and that Word that became Flesh was God And did any other God dwell among Men but Christ 4. And is it not said in Scripture That in him all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily Not a part or a piece of the Godhead but all the fulness dwelt bodily in him 5. Again doth not the Scripture say Great is the Mistery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels beleived on in the World received up into Glory 6. Now was not this Christ manifest in the Flesh Was not he preached unto the Gentles and beleived on in the World And was not he received up into Glory So that Christ must needs be God become Flesh and God manifest in Flesh 7. Also was not this Jesus Christ that Alpha and Omega the First and the Last the Begining and the End he that was Dead and is Alive for ever more 8. Here you see the Alpha and Omega was dead And was not the Alpha and Omega God And you see by the Scripture that the Alpha and Omega was dead And was there any Alpha and Omega that dyed but Jesus Christ And was there any Alpha and Omega that quickened out of Death to Life again but Christ Therefore he is said to be a quickening Spirit 9. Therefore it must needs be that Christ is God become Flesh and manifest in Flesh and he it was that dwelt among Men and he was in the Person of a Man in all things like unto Man Sin excepted 10. So that God is but one Person in Form like a Man and not Three Persons as Men do vainly imagine 11. But when he heard these sayings of mine he replyed nothing against it but seemed to faun upon me and speak softly unto me tempting me And asked me secretly what I thought of this present Power that he might have had some what to accuse me of that the Law would have taken hold of 12. But I answered him and said That I never was concerned with no temporal Powers neither did I meddle with them at all 13. So when the Priest saw he could get nothing out of me concerning the Goverment of the Nation then he applied to the things before mentioned 14. And he caused the Recorder to read over the Examination before the Maior the things were but few 15. First denying the Three Persons in the Trinity Secondly That I said I was one of those two Witnesses spoken of in the 11th of the Revelations 16. Thirdly That I said I had power to damn and save And Fourthly that I said their beleiving the Scriptures would do them little good now 17. Those were the chief things I was charged with Then the Priest asked me if I would be Prisoner that Night at the Constables House at my own charge or at the Town charge 18. If I had said at the Town charge then I must have lain in the Cage all Night but I answered and said At my own Charge 19. But I said to the Maior Do you not take Bail in these cases The Maior said Yes But the Priest before the Maior had perfectly spoken said if you can put in Bail that are not excommunicated Persons 20. Then Dorothy Carter my Friend being a Widdow would have been Bail with one of her Sons and she pressed at the Door to come in but the Priest thrust her out and said She was an excommunicated
true Knowledge is never proud 5. For I would make nothing of the greatest learned Man that is upon the Earth if he will dispute of the Scripture in the English Tongue And not persecute with a Sword of Steel to overthrow him by the Scriptures that there is but one true God in the person of a Man who made Man in his own Image and likeness as the Scriptures saith And not Three Persons and one God as all Profesers of Reason do own at this Day 6. Also we being the third Record of the Spirit upon Earth we use no outward visible Forms of Worship But do Worship God in Spirit and Truth as Christ said 7. So that every Record on Earth doth differ one from another in Point of Worship 8. For it is not proper for every Record to Act one and the same thing over and over again And as there is a difference in the Three Titles called Three Records in Heaven of Father Word and Spirit Now these are Three Distinct Titles yet but one God 9. So it is with the Three Records on Earth of Water Blood and Spirit These be Three distinct Records And Three distinct Persons the head of these Three distinct Records And there is Three distinct differances in there visible Worships yet they all Three agree in one 10. In witnessing to that one Jesus Christ to be the very true God and Saviour of all those that believe in that the Word was God And God was that Word And the Word became Flesh and Dwelt among Men He that is called the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last The Begining and the End He that was Dead and is Alive for Evermore 11. This one God doth all the Three Records agree to witnâ—ss unto this one God though differing all of them in their Several dispensations of outward Worship as aforeâ—aid 12. For every Record Acts his part upon this Earth suitable to the Three Titles in Heaven Moses and the Prophets their parts in the dispensation of Water as being under the Title of God the Father and Creatour of all things 13. Christ and the Apostles Acted their Commission of the Blood under the Title of a Redeemer by his own Blood And he was that Word made Flesh And Dwelt among Men. 14. And now we the Witnesses of the Spirit do Act a Spiritual Record on Earth which is to Worship God in Spirit and Truth Answerable to the Title of Spirit in Heaven 15. In Witnessing to that one Personal God though Three Titles of Father Word and Spirit yet but one Personal God 16. So that the Three Records on Earth do agree in one though they differ in their outward dispensations of worship as aforesaid so that we the Witnesses do Act our part on Earth under the Title of the Holy Spirit in Heaven therefore our Worship is Spiritual and Invisible in the Heart only 17. And now you see I have prov'd by Scripture that the Commission of the Spirit is now Extant upon the Earth and Acted by Men like yourselves even by John Reeve And myself and those that beleive our Doctrin 18. Said I do you beleive me now I have prov'd by Scripture that I am one of the Two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit or last Record on Earth 19. He answered and said that he could not gain say any thing that I had spoken but did aprove of what I had said better than of any that ever he heard in his life but said he could not venture his Salvation upon my Words 20. Then said the Sheriffs Men and the Keeper of the Prison Now Mr. Benet you have met with your Match One that hath Answered you all things 21. Then said Mr. Benet suffer me to ask you one question more 22. What is that said I. 23. Why saith he I have been a long time of the Oppinion that the Soul of Man is mortal and doth dye But I cannot satisfie myself in it 24. I answered and said your Oppinion was true for the Soul of Man is Mortal and doth Dye For nothing doth Live but the Soul for it is the Soul that Eats and Drinks and Walks and Talkes And the Soul that Lives and Dyes For nothing can be said to Dye but Life for if the Body be Dead the Soul or Life is Dead also For the Body and Soul is all one being And if one be Alive both are Alive And if one be Dead both are Dead 25. For both Body and Soul came into the World together For the Soul is begotten by Generation as well as the Body so that they go both Body and Soul out of the World together For that Life that is begot by Procuration must Dye which all Souls are and not by Infusion from God but by that very Law that said Encrease and Multiply 26. Therefore the Soul or Life of Man and all things else that is begotten by Generation must Dye as well as their Bodies 27. When he heard this He was very much taken with my answer and seem'd very Respective to me and so did the Sheriffs Men they show'd themselves very Civil 28. This dispute was upon the Sunday before the Assizes For that began on the Monday following a matter of Four Hours in the Afternoon this dispute was CHAP. XIII The Prophets Argument And Examin'd by the Judge And he Required of the Judge to take Bail the Judge granted it The Maior Aldermen and Recorder that Committed him saw their Folly and Madness and were asham'd of themselves How the Prophet had the Love of all the Prisoners Of his Printing of the whole Book of the Revelation c. 1. AFTER this dispute aforesaid upon the Wednesday following being the last Day of the Assizes I was call'd before the Bar And when I came before the Bar. 2. The Judge asked me if I would be Try'd by this Note of Examination 3. I answered no and said I thought your Honour would have excepted of Bail for my appearance the next Assizes For Mrs. Carter had delivered the Judge a writing to that purpose of mine the Day before and the Judge his Name was Terral 4. The Judge answered and said that he would take Bail but had said to her he would see the Man So when I asked him at the Bar to take Bail the Judge said he would and asked me who they were 5. And I said one is Richard Sudbury He asked where he Liv'd I said at Notingham he asked what Trade I said an Iron-monger Then Richard Sudbury was call'd and the Judge asked him whether he would be bound for my Appearence the next Assizes He said he would then the Judge Commanded him to be set down for one 6. Then said the Judge There must be another then said I there is one Edward Fewterer where Liveth he said the Judge I said at Chesterfield what Trade said the Judge I said a Surgeion then the Judge Commanded Edward Fewterer to be called then the Judge asked him whither