is free-born and free by Service you that are a Foreigner and an Alien One that is by act of Parliament counted a Vagabond a Runagade and a Fugitive in a Nation which is not your own who are not free born nor free by Redemption yet you will dare to bring me upon the Stage because I condemn you for your Rebellion And this I say if I were as treacherous in Heart as you are I could quickly cause you to be remov'd from Ware if not out of England but I shall let that pass And I would fain know how you would force me to let you see the Answer to the Assertions or to bring me upon the Stage you may do what you will now I shall provoke you to it But here you may see the Pride and Presumption against your own Soul in that you have lifted your self up against your Lord and Master And whereas you say and affirm That I am fallen from the Truth are not these the Words of a Rebel that learnt and was taught the way of Truth and what Truth and who Truth is by me nor have you any Light of Truth at all but what you received from me your Lord and Master and yet the Spirit of Rebellion is grown so wise to judge your Lord and Master that taught you to be fallen from the Truth so that you know how to teach your Master better than he can teach you but how can I expect any better from the Spirit of Rebellion Also you say I would make you believe Lyes who made you a Judge what are Lyes and what is Truth you say I go about to overthrow John Reeve and that I would make you believe many Lyes contrary to all the Prophets and John Reeve's Writing As to this I say what have you to do with John Reeve's Writings now he is dead nor have you to do with the Prophets or Apostles Writings they are all given into my Hands that am alive and you all ought to be taught of me that am alive else you cannot be taught of God and whereas you say I contradict John Reeve to this I say I have Power so to do and I had Power to do so in some things when he was alive and I did contradict him in some things when he was alive and John Reeve did write some things were Error to me and Error in themselves for which I did oppose him to his Face and he could not deny it yet notwithstanding John Reeve was infallible and did write by an unerring Spirit this will seem a Riddle unless it be unfolded then thus As to the Doctrinal Part contain'd in our Writings The Six Principles they were written by an unerring and infallible Spirit in John Reeve and the Interpretation of Scripture written by him was infallible but John Reeve's Experience Judgment and Apprehension of God's immediate taking Notice of every Man was Error and that God did supply every Man and Woman immediately from his own Person was Error in John Reeve's Judgment and Appearance as I did prove to his Face But the things being written before our Discourse and considering they were of no great Consequences to Eternal Happiness they were let pass Besides none can judge of a Prophet's Writing but he that is equal in Power with him I being chosen of God had Power to contradict him in his Judgment though it was Error it would have been Rebellion in any to do as I did And now I being the last Liver it is Rebellion in you to call any thing Lies and Error that I do justify to be true for no Man is to call me to Account as to resist my Judgment in spiritual Matters but God only and I am sure he hath and will justify me in what I have done and in what I do of this Nature Besides where Men are chosen equal in Power they may contradict one another in some things and yet both infallible Men in Doctrine though not in Judgment and Practice as for Example Peter was an infallible Man and did write by an infallible and unerring Spirit as to the Doctrine of Christ yet he erred in his Judgment and Practice and gave way to circumcise Titus Gal. 2 3. who was a Greek contrary to his Commission from Christ and it was unlawful and a great Error in Peter for which Cause Paul an Apostle being equal in Power withstood Peter to his Face and reproved him sharply of Error and Dissimulation Now should any Believer of Peter's Doctrine have said to Peter thou art a Lyar and no true Apostle and hast not an infallible Spirit but art in an Error if this should have been spoken by any private Believer as it was by Paul who was equal in Power I would not have been in that Believers Condition for all the World Again did not Paul write by an infalliable Spirit as to the Doctrine of Christ's Death Resurrection and Ascension Peter and he did agree in that but Paul committed an Error in his Judgment and Practice as well as Peter when he pretended a Vow and shaved the Head of four Greeks which was unlawful for him to do it was Error and Dissimulation in him yet no private Believer durst reprove him for it though it was a great Error in his Judgment and Practice and had liked to cost him his Life yet should any dare to say he wrote his Epistles by an erring lying Spirit So likewise Paul and James two Apostles equal in Power did contradict one another in Judgment for Paul Rom. 3.28 saith Therefore we conclude that a Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law and James 2 24. saith You see then by Works a Man is justified and not by Faith only here is quite a Contradiction to Paul's Judgment and should any believe in their time dare to say that either of these wrote Error or Lyes or that they were not infallible Men in their Doctrine of Christ because they differed in Point of Faith and Works This is much like John Reeve's believing that God did take Notice of every particular Man and my Judgment that God did not take Notice of every particular Man Now shall any dare to say that either of us are Lyars because we differ in Judgment in some things Besides 't is a common thing in Scripture for Prophets and Apostles to differ in Judgment and Practice but not in Doctrine As the four Evangelists contradict one another very oft and the Words of Christ himself contradict one another in several Places which would be too tedious to name Now because Christ's Words do contradict one another in some Places shall any dare to say he spoke Lyes and taught Error and that which he spoke was contrary to all Truth or that he was not a true Christ none but Devils did say so when he was upon Earth and should any in the Apostles Matthew Mark Luke and John's time dare to say that any of them wrote Lyes or Errors because
The Prophet MUGGLETON'S Epistle to the Believers of the Commission touching the Rebellion occasioned by the Nine Assertions THUS I have given an Answer to all those Nine Assertions which William Meadgate hath drawn up as a Charge against me saying they are contrary to all Truth and against all sober Reason And now I shall speak a few Words unto him and the rest of Believers as followeth And because one of the Conspirators in the Rebellion hath repented of his Rebellion and ask'd Forgiveness before it was too late I forgave him his Trespass against me and against God namely Thomas Burton He did well to agree with his Adversary while he was in the Way for the Prophet is an Adversary to all those that rebel against God And this I would have all Rebels to know though too late That Obedience is better than Sacrifice viz. Obedience to the Prophet is better than all the Legal Righteousness you have perform'd between Man and Man all your Days yet this ought to be done but not to leave the other undone And you may know that Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft for Rebellion against the Prophet is Rebellion against God For when King Saul rebell'd against the Prophet Samuel's Words he rebell'd against God for it was the Prophet Samuel that gave the King a Command and 't was he that reproved the King for his Rebellion and Disobedience for God never spake to the King nor gave Sentence upon him it was the Prophet only and not God And because the King did mind God only and not the Prophet as you have done therefore that great Evil did befal him he was rejected of God for rebelling against the Prophet Samuel and so are you rejected of God for rebelling against the Prophet now alive now ought not the King to have minded the Prophet Samuel only and not God and because he did mind God only and rejected the Prophet as you have done therefore that great Evil did befal him for he minded God only in that he thought to please God better by offering up the best of Cattle in Sacrifice to God he thought it better to mind God only than the Prophet's Words But how did God reject him for disobeying the Prophet and his Sacrifice was rejected also Now had not Saul better have minded the Prophet only then would it have been well with him but he minding God only and disobeying and rebelling against the Prophet what a woful Effect did fall upon him and so it will upon all that rebel against Prophets Thus it is with Men that think themselves more wise and righteous than their Teachers for whoever disobeys a true Prophet disobeys God and it is so accounted of God therefore 't is good for Men to mind the Prophet only and pin their Faith upon his Sleeve or else there can be no true Peace and Safety Why Because no Man can come unto God to reason and dispute with him but by his Prophet only This hath been the way God hath walk'd in all Ages and now I being the last Prophet of all God hath put me in his Place here upon Earth and hath raised me up as he did that good Man Joseph Gen. the last and the 9th Verse who said unto his Brethren Fear not for I am in the Place of God and in the 21st Verse Fear not for I will nourish you and he comforted them and spake kindly unto them So God hath raised me up to be his last Prophet and seated me in his Place here to nourish his People who have believed his Prophets Report with spiritual and heavenly Knowledge for true Prophets true Apostles true Ministers have made Saints in all Ages so that without these no Saints at all they may be Elect Vessels but not Saints for no Man or Women can properly be said to be a Saint except they come actually to believe in a true Prophet true Apostles or true Ministers of Christ And farther I say that whoever doth not well by that Law written in his Heart and doth not stand in awe of that and fear to offend that Law of Conscience as if God himself did stand by and take Notice of all his Actions therefore he doth well because God's Eye is over him else not I say all his well doing is but Eye Service and respected of God no more then the cutting of a Dog's Neck And that Man is in the Depth of Darkness who will do nothing that is good except God doth take Notice of him to reward him for every good deed he doth but if he doth Evil then he desireth God to take no Notice of it but blot it out of his Remembrance as if God were beholden to Man to do well when there is a Blessing in the Deed doing and a Curse in Evil doing But this I say if there were no God to Reward the Good nor to punish the Evil yet could not I do any otherwise then I do for I do well not because I expect any Reward from God or refrain from Evil because God will punish me or that he doth mind me in it but I do well to please the Law written in my Heart so that I might not be accused by that Law in my Conscience as God hath pleased for his Watchman to tell me when I do well so I am justified by Faith in God in my own Conscience and being not condemned by the Law written in my Heart I have Boldness to the Throne of Grace Neither do I refrain from Evil for fear of God's Person seeing me and he seeing me will punish me but I refrain from Evil because the Law written in my Heart seeth all my Doings and that Watchman God hath set there to watch me will tell God of all my Doings so that God need not trouble himself to watch over every Man's Actions himself for he hath placed his Law a Watchman in every Man and Woman to give Notice of all their Doings whether Good or Evil. Thus in the Original God taketh notice by his Law written in every Man's Heart both of Saint and Devil and no otherwise doth God mind or take Notice of his Saints in particular at all not that I do own this Law written in Man's Heart to be the very God as the Quakers do but God is a distinct Person of himself and distinct from this Law written in Man's Heart And in this Sense God may be said to take no Notice of his Saints nor doth not mind them at all True Believers are my Brethren and Sisters and the Prophet hath spoken kindly unto them and nourished their Souls with Bread of Life and given them Water of Life to drink in that he hath been as Moses to fed them with heavenly Manna and hath not the Prophet given them the Bread of Life even that Bread that came down from Heaven the Flesh of God to eat as Moses did Manna to eat he hath given them Water of Life to drink even the
that truly believe this Doctrine declared by Reeve and Muggleton we are the Fowls of Heaven in the Last Age that have received a Measure of this Grain of Faith which doth cause us to make our Nests and rest quietly in the Branches of God's Free Electing Love in his Redemption and Salvation Thus I have given you the true Interpretation of the Excellency of this little Grain of Faith as small as a Grain of Mustard-Seed which you that have but a Measure of it can experience the Truth of it Therefore I shall say no more at present but remember my Love to your self and good Wife your Sons and Daughters that are Partakers of this precious Faith and to all the rest of our Friends in the true Faith in that Kingdom I take leave and remain your Friend in the Eternal Truth LODOWICK MUGGLETON Feb. 16. 1680. FINIS The Prophet LODOWICK MUGGLETON'S Blessing to Mrs. SARAH SHORT transcribed from a Copy drawn from the Original given to her by him June the 2d 1662. DEAR Friend in the Eternal Truth Mrs. Short I understand by a Word or two that Mrs. Chittwood spoke that you were not well satisfied in those Words that I spoke unto you concerning your Eternal Happiness as if I did not look upon you to be of the Seed of Faith or one of the Blessed of the Lord because I bad you not be troubled in your Mind concerning that for you should fare no worse than my self 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 especially 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 Troubles of this World as others are and then again the Weakness of your Nature is such that you cannot exercise your Mind about the Businesses and lawful Affairs of this World which would be a great Refreshment unto Nature as it where the Assurance 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 troubled with a bloody Issue that if she could but touch our Lord's Garment she should be whole and according to her Faith it was unto her and not only so but she had the Assurance of eternal Life besides for Virtue went out of our Lord not only to cure the Bloody Issue but the Peace and Satisfaction of her Mind concerning the Life to come therefore it is said he looked round about to see her that had done the thing and he said Daughter thy Faith hath made the whole go in Peace Here you may see it was not our Lord that gave 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 himself 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 breath'd into Adam was that Breath or Seed of Faith and whoever is Partakers of the Seed of Adam they are of the Seed of Faith so in time it doth arise out of the Seed into Act so that the Creatures comes 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 vainly imagin'd 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 Ambassadors to preach Faith therefore saith Paul Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God preach'd 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 preach'd by me or more that is sent of God but the Seed and Root 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 awaken'd and cometh to act it self 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 and so them that believe 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 Reward is Eternal Life for Prophet's have little else to give and if it be well considered it is enough and 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 my self 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 LODOWICK MUGGLETON A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet LODOWICK MUGGLETON to ANN ADAMS of Orwell in Cambridgeshire bearing date from London March the 27th 1663. My Dear and Loving Friend Ann Adams the Wife of William Cakebread my Love remembred unto you THESE are to certifie you that I came well Home therefore I thought it convenient to write these Lines unto you as followeth First in that thou wast honoured of God to be an Handmaid or Guide unto a Prophet unto John Reeve when thou wast but in thy Infancy concerning the Knowledge of things of Eternity but the Seed of Faith which was in you though it was but small yet it hath taken deep Root downward in the Heart and hath brought forth Fruits of Faith and Love upwards for thou hast and shall find