I said whereupon I pronounced the Sentence of eternal damnation upon Four or Five Men there 17. And they being inraged at it they thought to prosecute us both and they went to the Maior and Aldermen of the Town to see what could be done unto us 18. And the Maior and Aldermen said they could not tell what to do in it seeing there was no Law against any Man for saying a Man is damn'd but if you bring them before the Maior and if they cannot give a good Account where there Habitation is they may be set in the Stocks for Vagabonds if they stay in the Town any more than so many days But we did not know this till afterwards 19. And while they were ploting this Mischief we not thinking of it Thomas Hudson was to go Fifty Miles further so Edward Fewterer and I took Horse and went a matter of Fifteen Miles on the Way with Mr. Hudson Upon this the Quakers reported that I fled away from Chesterfield to Bake-well for fear of a whiping when as we did not know there was any Mischief intended against us 20. Besides Edward Fewterer and I came back again to Chesterfield the same Night but none sought after me as I heard of and in two days afterwards I departed from Chesterfield to Notingham again And as I stay'd there Three days more there was a Conspiracy amongst those I had passed Sentance of Damnation upon how to apprehend me 22. For every place in the Country where I had any that beleived and that was a Friend to me there was a many Enemies that sought to do me harm only they had no Law on their side but I being of Mr. Sudbury's Acquaintance and at his House the Maior or Sheriffs would do nothing in it 23. And it came to pass afterwards that the Sheriff's Wife came to be a true Beleiver unto this day her Name is Mary Barker 24. So after Three days I departed for Notingham to London to my own House This was in the Year 1663. CHAP. VIII The Prophet travels into Cambridge shire and Kent And of his Marriage to his Third Wife and of his Second Jorney into Darby-shire and of his being brought before the Maior of Chesterfield Of his Examination by the Priest and of his Commitment 1. AFTER this I travelled into Cambridge-shire to see several Friends there and they were very joyful to see me at Cambridge and the Countries round about for there were a many of Beleivers in that Country 2. I stayed there but a matter of Three Weeks and then returned to London again And a little while after I travelled into Kent to visit some Friends 3. And there was one John Martine a Tanner at East-Malin in Kent which did truly beleive in this Commission of the Spirit and so did his Wife He had Two Sons and one Daughter his eldest Son Thomas did not beleive but his youngest Son John and his Daughter Mary were both true Beleivers and his Daughter Mary was very zealous and strong in the beleif of it 4. And it came to pass a while after this John Martin dyed and I going thither again afterwards I took his Daughter Mary to Wife with her Mothers Consent and I married her according to the Law of England as I did my other two Wives before 5. I had been a Widdower Sixteen years before I took this Maid to Wife she was Twenty Five years of Age when I married her and I was about Fifty Three years old when I took her to Wife She was of a good meek innocent and just Nature besides the strong Faith and Zeal she had in this Commission of the Spirit so that she was very sutable both iâ— spiritual and temporal Qualifications unto my Nature 6. After this it came to pass the same year that I was married great Troubles did befal me both upon a Spiritual and Temporal Account as may be understood in the following Relation 7. It came to pass that one Richard Hatter a true Beleiver had some Business at Law at the Assizes at Yorke He had a mind to go by Notingham and Chesterfield to see those Friends there and if I would go with him he would bear me Company so far 8. Now these Friends had greatly desired me to come down into the Country to see them so I was glad of his Company and we jornyed together but Mr. Hatter stay'd But one Night at Notingham and went his way and left me there at Mr. Sudbury's and I stayed there a few days And in that time there came several Quakers Beamonites and Indipendants religious Men and Women to discourse and dispute with me 9. But several of them dispised and blasphemed against what I said whereby I gave Sentance of eternal Damnation in that they had sinn'd against the Holy Ghost a Sin which God will not forgive Which made them very angry and spread it abroad the Country where ever I was known And after a few days I went form Notingham to Chesterfield 10. And in the middle of the way there is a Market Town called Mansfield and there I used to bait my Horse and myself and that Town is full of Quakers and when I did Inn there the Quakers and others they would press into the Room where I was to see me and talk with me And they being an obstinate and stiffnecked People against a personal God many of them came under the Sentence of Damnation at Mansfield and they had reported it at Chesterfield before I could come there 11. And when I came to Dorothy Carter's House after I had been two or three days there came several Persons to speak with me in that Town being a Market Town and they were wicked Dispisers of a personal God 12. And several of them were damn'd at Mansfield and Chesterfield and about twelve But these at Chesterfield were most of them Independants and they consulted with the Priest of the Parish with the Maior and Aldermen of the Town to persecute me and the Quakers were glad the Independant People did so 13. So the Priest being a more subtil Serpent than all the Beasts of the Feild he consulted the Maior and Aldermen to send a Constable for me before them and he would examin me and see what Words he could get out of me to have Matter to accuse me of For said he we can do nothing to him for saying a Man is damn'd 14. So the Constable was commanded to fetch me before the Maior and he came where I was and said I must go before the Maior 15. I asked him if he had any Warrant for me he said No then I said I will not go Said he I can command Aide then he commanded the Man of the House where my Horse was at grass but the Man was loth to do it but he commanded him in the Kings Name to aide him 16. So the Man took hold of one Arm and the Constable by the other and led me to the Hall where the
of the Law their wonderful Acts are recorded in Scripture 12. Besides the Revelation they declared as from God which the Ages following did not see nor hear yet many did truly believe and doth truly belive and are by Faith satisfied as those that did both hear and see 13. So that the Scriptures Record is a Record of spiritual and heavenly Things and of some of those wonderful and powerful Acts of Moses and the Prophets and the righteous Fathers manifesting their great Faith in God and being in favour with God 14. Which I by Faith have found their Record true and so have many more of the seed of Faith found their Record and Revelations to be true CHAP. II. The Prophet makes a Rehearsal of the Acts of the Apostles in the new Testament and of the Lord Christ and how that they were writen for the Comfort of the Seed of Faith After which he enters upon the third Record and shows the cause of his writing some of the most principal Acts of the Witness of the Spirit under this third Record 1. ALSO we find written in the New Testament many wonderful Acts and Miracles acted by the Lord Christ and his Apostles as Matthew Mark Luke and John doth declare concerning Christ that if all the things Christ spake and Acts he did were written the World would not contain the Volume 2. That is the verge of a Man's understanding could not retain the particulars so as to tell it to his Friend the particulars would be so many 3. So likewise the Acts of the Apostles that Book hath little else in it but wonderful Acts wrought by the power of Faith in the Apostles 4. And these things were written for the seed of Faith that they might have Comfort in believing the Record that is given of the Apostles how God strengthned them in Faith and Power as by the power of Faith to work Miracles 5. Because they were chosen of God to bear Record on Earth to the Blood of the New Testament or New Covenant 6. Thus did the Apostles bear Record on Earth to the Blood as the Prophets did bear Record on Earth to the Water which signifies the Law of Moses and the Blood signifies the Gospel of Jesus Christ 7. The Scriptures are a Record that sheweth many wonderful Acts that Christ and his Appostles did when on Earth besides the heavenly Revelation 8. And it is very comfortable to the Seed of Faith true Belivers to read of the Acts of the Prophets and of the Apostles as it is of their Doctrin Revelation Prophesies Interpretations or Epistles 9. These Things I having experience of and seeing it hath been the Practice of some of the Prophets and Apostles to leave a Record behind them for after Ages to peruse of some of the most remarkable Acts done by them when they were upon Earth as a remarkable Remembrance to their Prophesies and Epistles 10. So likewise I being one of the two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirt being the Third and last Record from God on Earth 11. I thought it convenient and expedient to leave some Record on Earth behind me of some of the most remarkable Acts and Passages that hath been done and acted by us and to us the Witnesses of the Spirit since we were chosen of God in the Year 1651. 12. That I may leave it as a Legasy to the Seed of Faith after me who shall happen to Read and Believe those Writings of ours after I am gon 13. They may know by the Doctrin therein declared who and what we were and what God we believed in 14. Also I thought it necessary to write of those Acts my self rather then any other being acted in my sight and perfect knowledge as other Profits have done before me as Moses and others CHAP. III. Of the Birth Parentage and Trade of the two Witnesses and how the Profits Nature led them sorth to all Sobriety hateing Drunkeness and of their inclining to the Principles of those Call'd Puritans and of their being perswaded from judging Cases of Concience before they new the truth 1. BUT before I write of the Acts I shall give the Reader a little to understand what we were before God did chuse us two to be his two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit 2. And of some Experince I had and Working within me before I was Chosen of God little expecting God would have chosen me for such a great Work 3. As for John Reeve he was born in Wiltshire his Father was Clerk to a Deputy of Ireland a Gentleman as we call them by his place but fell to decay 4. So he put John Reeve Apprentice here at London to a Taylor by Trade He was out of his Apprentiship before I came aquainted with him he was of an Honest Just Nature and Harmless 5. But a Man of no great Natural Witt or Wisdom no Subtilty or Pollicy was in him nor no great store of Religeon he had but what was Traditional only of an Innocent Life 6. I knew him many years before God spake to to him by Voice of Words to the hearing of the Ear three Mornings together as is declar'd in the Commission Book call'd a Trancesendant Spritual Treatise the first Book he writ 7. And I Lodwick Muggleton was born in Bishop gate-street near the Earl of Devonshire's House at the corner House call'd Walnut-Tree-Yard 8. My Fathers name was John Muggleton he was a Smith by Trade that is a Farrier or Horse-Doctor he was in great Respect with the Post-Master in King Jame's time he had three Children by my Mother two Sons and one Daughter I was the youngest and my Mother lov'd me 9. But after my Mother dy'd I being but young my Father took another Wife so I being young was Expos'd to live with Srangers in the Country at a distance from all my Kindred I was a Stranger to my Fathers House after my Mother was dead 10. But it came to pass when I was grown to 15 or 16 Years of age I was 〈◊〉 Apprentice to one John Quick a Taylor he made Livery Gowns and all sorts of Gowns for Men he made Gowns for several Aldermen and Livery Men of their Company in London 11. And he lived in this Walnut-Tree-Yard and knew my Father and Mother very well he was a quiet peaceable Man not crewel to Servants which liked me very well 12. For my Nature was always against Cruelty I could never indure it neither in my self nor in others living peaceably in my Apprentiship 13. I took my Trade well and pleased my Master better then any of his other Servants for they were bad Husbands and given to Drunkenness but my Nature was inclin'd to be sober hating Drunkenness and Lust in the time of my Youth 14. But when my time of Service was pretty far expired I grew to more understanding and hearing in those days a great talk amongst the vulger People and especially amongst Youth Boys and young Maids
Reason the Raven which goeth out of the Ark the Body of Man and liveth upon the Mountains of earthly Things 24. Also the Dove that Noah sent forth of the Ark signified the Seed of Faith 25. And when Faith sends forth her motions out of the Ark her Body they are innocent as a Dove humble meek and low 26. And when she findeth the Flood and Waters of Trouble of Persecution upon the Face of the Earth the Dove entreth into her Ark her Body again and is quiet and still till the Waters of Trouble be abated 27. For the Dove cannot fly upon the top of the Mountains of earthly things as Reason the Raven can 28. The Seed of Faith the Dove can find no Rest there but when the Waters of Trouble are abated and the dry Land appeareth and the Olive Trees of Joy and Gladness are to be seen 29. Then the Dove the Seed of Faith can go out of its Body the Ark and fetch an Olive-Branch of Peace and Joy in its Mouth and return into its Body the Ark again and there remain until it is turned out of the Ark by Death CHAP. XV. Shewing how John Reeve's Revelation gave him Satisfaction and full Resolution to sit still and be quiet never medling about Religion more But contrary to the Resolutions of them both a little while after where made the greatest medlers of Religion of all the World 1. TO this purpose as aforesaid did John Reeve declare his first Revelation with a many more Expressions which he uttered at that time with great Joy of Heart he not thinking in the least nor I neither that it was a Preparation for God to chuse him nor me neither to be his two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit 2. For said he unto me at that time Cousin Lodowick now I am satisfied in my Mind and know what Revelation is I am resolved now to medle no more with Religion nor go forth after any upon that account 3. But to get as good a Livelyhood as I can in this World and let God alone with what shall be hereafter 4. Now he had been with John Robins not many Weeks before he knew or had Revelation himself 5. For John Robins Knowledge and Language overpowerd John Reeve before he had this Revelation Therefore he said now he would not go forth after any upon that account no more 6. Thus when he thought to be most quiet and not to medle with any about Religion and so was I also then a little while after we were made the greatest Medlers in Religion of all Men in the World 7. Because our Faces were against all Mens Religion in the World what Sex or Opinion soever as will appear hereafter by our Writings and Speakings 8. John Reeve nor I little thought at that time that this Revelation we had given us did prepare us for a greater Work than for the Peace of our own Minds 9. But it prov'd that God prepared us for a Commission and that he did intend to chuse us two to be his last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit as will be seen as followeth 10. For after John Reeve had this first Revelation aforementioned it did continue and increase exceedingly that it grew very high in him for two Weeks together 11. And at the two Weeks end God speak unto him by Voice of Words to the hearing of the Ear three Mornings together as is more largely set down in his first Book he wrote Called A Trancendant Spiritual Treatis 12. Where the Words of God as he spoke to him are set down plainly as they were spoken to him the 3d. 4th and 5th Days of February 1651. and in the year of John Reeve's Life 42. and in the year of my Life 41. 13. Thus I have given the Reader a little hint whereby he may see the ground of things and the rise how these wonderful things came to pass 14. Also what we were at first and how we were acted out in the time of our Lives and of the Experience I had in the Days of my Ignorance and of my Dispute with God and my own Soul 15. And of that great Revelation I had before John Reeve had any and of the Ravelation John Reeve had before God spake to him in the year 1651. 16. And now in the Treatis following I shall only speak of some of the most remarkable Acts and Passages which hath been acted and dun by us since we received our Commission from God 17. That after Ages may see some of the Acts of the two Witnesses of the Spirit as well as their Writings and their Doctrin now in this last Age. As they have read of some of the wonderful Acts of Moses and the Prophets and the Acts of the Apostles So there will be some remarkable Acts of the Witnesses of the Spirit left upon Record Which is as followeth The End of the First Part. The Second Part. CHAP. I. Of the Commission given the Prophet Mugleton's Children blessed by the Prophet Reeve the great Wisdom given unto Sarah Mugleton 1. THE first Morning God spake to John Reeve he came to my House and said Cousin Lodowick God hath given thee unto me for ever And the Tears ran down both sides his Cheeks amain 2. So I asked him what was the matter for he looked like one that had been rissen out of the Grave he being a fresh couloured Man the day before And the Tears ran down his Cheeks apace 3. So he told me the same Words as is writen in his first Book and said unto me That God had given him a Commission and that he had given Lodowick Mugleton to be his Mouth And said at the same time was brought to his Mind that saying That Aaron was given to be Moses's Mouth 4. But said he what my Message is he could not tell But said he if God do not speak unto me the next Morning I will come no more at thee 5. Which I was in good Hopes he would not for I was willing to be quiet 6. Also he said at the same time Cousin Lodowick Thy Children are all blessed but especially thy Daughter Sarah she shall be the Teacher of all the Women in London 7. She heard him say these Words as she stood upon the Stairs for she was afraid of him that he would rather have condemned her because he never did love her so well as he did the youngest Daughter 8. But he spake not then for Affection but as the Revelation moved him 9. And she was the first Person he blessed to Eternity after God spake to him the first Morning 10. It was the more marvelous because it was never heard this many Ages that a poor Man should have that Power to Bless and Curs Men and Women to Eternity 11. And she believed him and did grow exceedingly in Experience and in Disputes with Religious People and they marvelled that one so young should have such Knowledg and Wisdom to answer
made Man in his own Image and Likeness 22. As first you have proudly challenged me and my six foote God with our Commissions to touch or hurt you Secondly You say you stand in a holy Defiance of all our Strength And Thirdly You say Know Oh. Muggleton with thy God art chained and on you I trample and to the bottomless Pit are you sentanced where the endless Worm shall knaw and torture your Soul to eternity 23. For those wicked proud presumptious blasphemous Speeches not only against me but against the living God as your two Brethren did before you Therefore in obediance to my Commission from the true God I do pronounce William Pen Quaker cursed and damn'd both Soul and Body from the presence of God elect Men and Angels to eternity 24. I thought good to leave this upon Record that the Age to come may be instructed and take heed how they dispise Prophets and that God that sent him Written by Lodowick Muggleton one of the two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit unto the high and mighty God the Man Christ Jesus in Glory March the 16th 1668. CHAP. VI. Of the Prophets Travels into Cambridge Leicester Notingham and Darbyshire to visit Friends there 1. AFTER this it came to pass in the Year 1669. and in the year 1670. In these two years I had a great deal of trouble both upon a spiritual and a temporal Account but in the beginning of the year 1669. in the Month of April before my Troubles began I had a desire to travel into several Countries to visit Friends there 2. And there was one James Whitehead who lived in Brantry in Essex a true Beleiver and a Man of an Estate in this World he was of the Independant People before he came to beleive in this Commission of the Spirit he had a desire to visit Friends of this Faith in other Countries because he had never seen them so he was willing to bear me company 3. I went this Jorny in secret and let no Beleiver in London know of it but my Wife only 4. I appointed James Whitehead to meet me at Ware and so he did and we went from thence to Cambridge and we stayed there three Days with Friends at William Dickmson's House for I had many Friends in that Town and Country about and they were very glad to see us and intreated us kindly 5. So we departed after three Days from thence to Leicestershire which was forty Miles from Cambridge and in two days we came to some Friends in Leicestershire where were several Beleivers which I had never seen before 6. And we lodged at one John Hall's House a Farmer where was kind Entertainment both for our selves and Horses and the Mother of this John Hall was a true Beleiver and she had three Sons that were true Beleivers of this Commission of the Spirit but they knew nothing of my Jorny beforehand 7. But they intreated us exceeding kindly and was exceedingly rejoyced to see us because they had never seen us before though much desired and coming upon them unawares they having no Inteligence it did amuse them the more 8. Also there was one John Sadington a true Beleiver had a Sister hard by there named Lidiah Brooks that did truly beleive and she rejoyced to see me because she never saw me before nor none of them there tho they had heard of me by the hearing of the Ear the Towns name was Arnsby in Leicestershire 9. We stayed there but two Days and departed and jornyed towards Notingham there we came unawares to Mr. Sudbury's and his Wife and Mary Parker a Sheriff's Wife of that Town There were but those three Beleivers in that Town and they kindly received us with much affection 10. And James Whitehead departed from thence in two Days and left me there for to meet him at Chesterfield in Darbyshire which was twenty Miles from Notingham because he was to go forty Miles further about other business and was to call at Chesterfield as he came back 11. Likewise he was to see if he could enquire in his Jorny for one Thomas Tomkinson a true Beleiver and a great Writer in the vindication of this Faith he lived at Sladehouse in Staffordshire 12. He did in his Jorny enquire for Sladehouse and the Name of our Friend but could not hear neither of the place nor of the Man nor could not hear that any knew Sladehouse or Thomas Tomkinson he not travelling within twelve Miles of the place 13. So he missed of him which was a greet Trouble to us all when he came back to Chesterfield and told it to us we were much troubled 14. For I did fully expect he had found him because he stayed two Days longer than was intended 15. But it was an exceeding great Trouble to him that he should miss of the Sight of us being so near and many more in that Country had an earnest Desire to see me for I had not then ever been in that Country 16. And when it was too late he did hear by one Alexander Delamaine a true Friend at London and a great writer in vindication of this Commission of the Spirit for as soon as ever he heard that I had stolen away out of London into the Country and none in London knew of it for it was above a Week afterwards before he heard I was gone for he heard from some in the Country where we had been 17. So he sent Thomas Tomkinson word by the Post that I and my Friend were some where in those parts of the Country so Tomkinson went immediately to Bakewell a Market Town where one of our Friends saw me at Chesterfield his Name was William Newcome a Bookseller who lived at Darby but was every Saturday at Chesterfield Market and at Bakewell Market on the Monday 18. And he told our Friend Tomkinson that I and my Friend Mr. Whitehead departed from Chesterfield that Monday morning and that he saw us take leave of Mrs. Carter and her Daughter as also Elizabeth Smith and other Friends at Chesterfield for to go by Notingham and from thence on Tuesday they said they would go for London the same way they came and call of the same Friends 19. And when our Friend Tomkinson heard this and that it was too late to meet with us neither at Chesterfield nor Notingham neither he was exceedingly troubled and lift up his Voice and wept and could not tell who to be angry with himself or with us 20. So that he could not be passified in his own Mind 'till Patience had possest his Soul until he heard from me the Cause of that Misfortune 21. For I depended wholy that Mr. Whitehead would have found him out but it was such a cross Rode that no Letter could be sent unto him but from London except it were on purpose so that I made no question but my Friend would have brought him along with him to Chesterfield for he enquired but could not hear