of them 21. Whereupon I pronounced him for his Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and for Preaching without a Commission from God cursed and damn'd both in Soul and Body from the Presence of God elect Men and Angels to eternity 22. Upon this he and the rest of them said They would fetch a Warrant from General Cromwell the Counsel of State or from the Parliament to prosecute us 23. And I said That if General Cromwell the Counsel of State or the Parliament should dispise those things we have declared and sin against the Holy Ghost as these Men did That General Cromwell the Counsel of State and the Parliament would be all damn'd as you are This I did say 24. This was set down by the Clerke 25. Then said the Maior You are accused for denying the Three Persons in the Trinity You say there is but one Person Christ Jesus you deny the Father 26. No said John Reeve we owne the Trinity more than any Men both Father Son and Spirit are all but one Person and one God Christ Jesus as is declared in that Book in your Hand 27. Then the Maior said Here is several Notes from the godly Ministers which you have forbid to preach the Gospel upon pain of Damnation 28. Said John We do own these Notes sent unto them and if any of them Ministers we sent these Letters unto have preached publickly since the receipt of them they are damn'd to eternity because they preach and are not sent of God Neither do they know the true God nor can they preach the truth unto the People 29. These Words were set down by the Clerke 30. Then said the Lord Maior unto John Reeve What was it that God spake unto you 31. John related the Words God spake unto him three Mornings together the same Words that are written in that Book in your Hand CHAP. II. Shewing John Reeve's Answer to the Lord Maior's Questions and John Reeve's Question to the Maior what his God was with the Maior's Answer And John's Replycation to it Of the two Witnesses Commitment to Newgate 1. THE Lord Maior answered John Reeve and said He did beleive it was the Devil that spake to him 2. Then to this I answered and said Sir you have sin'd against the Holy Ghost and will be damn'd 3. The Maior clapt his Hand upon his Brest and said God forbid 4. Yea said I but you have then said John Reeve to the Maior Sir you say you do beleive it was the Devil that spake unto me I pray Sir tell me what your God is 5. The Lord Maior lift up himself and laid his Hand on his Brest Oh! saith he my God is an infininite incomprehensible Spirit 6. What said I without a Body or Person 7. Said the Maior God hath no Body or Person at all 8. Why said I hath God that made man in his own Image who hath a Body and Person and hath made all other Creatures with Persons and shall he that made them have no Body or Person of his own 9. Doth not the Scriptures say That Christ was the express Image and Brightness of his Father's Person and had not Christ a Body or Person in form like Man Sin excepted 10. The said the Maior unto me must I beleive you 11. Yea said I That you must or you will be damn'd 12. Then there was a Gentlewoman in the Court called out and said Mr. Reeve pray tell me what the Devil is 13. John answered with a loud Voice and said Thy own Soul is the Devil 14. Then one of the Officers said unto the Woman I think he hath met with you now 15. Then the Lord Maior asked the Accusers if they would be bound in 40 l. Band a piece to prosecute against these two Men they said They would so the Clark bound them to prosecute 16. Then the Lord Maior called for the Act of Parliament which was newly made against Blasphemy So the Maior read this Passage in it That if any man should say that he is God and that God is no where else shall be guilty of Blasphemy and shall suffer six months Imprisonment without Bail or mean prise 17. Then said I unto him Sir What have you to do with this Act you are a temporal Magistrate and ought to judg of temporal Things between man and man 18. And you are to do Justice between Man and Man in all moral and temporal Affairs which concerns you to be the Judge of and you will do well to keep there for you are not to Judge of Blasphemy against God nor those that made this act neither 19. Why said the Maior must I beleive you 20. Yea said I That you must else you will be damn'd 21. For God hath chosen us two to be the Judge of Blasphemy against God and hath given us power to pronounce Sentance of Damnation upon all those that do Blaspheme against that God which is a Person which you do deny 22. Why said he again must I beleive you 23. Yea said I else you will be damn'd 24. Many things more than what is here written was spoke at that time but these were of most concernment to take notise of 25. And when this Dispute and Examination was ended the Lord Maior asked if we would put in Bail and we said No. 26. So he gave order to his Clark to make our Mittimus and send us to Newgate and he went away out of the Court into another Chamber and the Clark carried the Mittimus into him to set his hand to it So that he came no more into the Court. 27. For John Reeve intended to give the Sentance of eternal Damnation upon him both Body and Soul in the open Court it being full of People 28. But he came no more out until we were led away by the Marshal and his Men to Newgate there to remain Prisoners till the nex Sessions 29. This Commitment was the fifteenth Day of September 1653. CHAP. III. Shewing how the Prisoners brought Irons Required Mony of the two Witnesses they having none took one of their Cloaks for a Pledg How long they were Prisoners The Bordes were their Bed And of the Wickedness of some of the Prisoners which had a Design to have hanged them and how Providence preserved them 1. NOW we being Prisoners in Newgate Goal I shall speak of some Passages that hapend there 2. As soon as ever the Keeper had put us in and shut the Gate upon us the Prisoners brought to each of us a pair of Irons to put on our Leggs except we would lay them down three Shillings and Six Pence a piece 3. Also they said they must have Mony for Garnish which did amount to five Shillings a piece in all 4. I said we have no Money about us but however if they pleas'd they might put the Irons upon our Legs and I held out my Leg for them to be put on I was very free to wear them for Truths Sake though it was a
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
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
and Spirit upon Earth 2. He answered and said No he could not but desired me to interprit it 3. Then said I the Interpretation is thus the Record of Water upon the Earth it was Moses and the Prophets under the Law 4. They worshiped God with divers Ceremonies of Tipes and Offerings of Bulls and Goates and sprinkled upon the Alter their Blood and upon the Flesh of the Leapers and other distempered Persons that were unclean and much Washings and Purifyings with clear Water was used under the Worship of the Law 5. Which was the Record of Moses and the Prophets it being set up by Moses and practised by the People of the Jews many Generations And this Record of Moses upon Earth is that Record of Water answering and bearing Testimony to that one God the Father and Creator of all things both in Heaven and Earth 6. This is the Interpretation of the Record of Water upon Earth and this agreeth with the Record of God the Father in Heaven 7. Now you must understand that the Record of Water upon Earth it was acted by Men as Moses and the Prophets and the high Priests in the time of the Law They all cryed with one accord This is Truth 8. The Interpretation of the Record of the Blood upon Earth it was Jesus Christ and his Apostles In that Christ came to fulfil the Law and he is said to be the end of the Law to every one that beleives and to lay down his Life for many 9. Now in laying down his Life is understood that he shed his own precious Blood Therefore it is said his Soul was heavy unto Death and he power'd out his Soul unto Death and except you eat my Flesh and drink my Blood you have no Life in you 10. That is no Man hath the Assurance of eternal Life abideing in him except he doth truly beleive that Flesh of Christ that was Crucified upon the Cross to be the Flesh of God 11. That is the Word became Flesh and dwelt amongst Men and that Blood of Christ that was power'd out unto Death to be the Blood of God Except this be beleived there can be no eternal Life abideing in Man 12. For this Blood of Christ doth purge the Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God So that Christ which is manifest in Flesh as the Scripture saith did pass through Blood 13. And his Apostles after he had given them a Commission as in the Second of the Acts they bare Testimony and Record on the Earth that Jesus was the Christ 14. And they did witness that he shed his Blood and was put to Death by the Jews and did rise again and assend up into Heaven in that same Body he suffered Death in 15. For which Record of theirs they were put to Death and their Blood was shed and so were many Beleivers in their Commission put to Death and passed through Blood for bearing Record to this Jesus which they had crusified to be the Son of God 16. And this Record on Earth was acted by Men who lost their Lives for their Record therefore it is called the Record of Blood upon Earth 17. Answerable to the Record in Heaven in that the Word became Flesh and Christ is that Word that bare Record in Heaven and became Flesh and shed his Blood And those that bare Record unto him their Blood was shed also 18. So that the Blood of Christ and the Blood of the Apostles and the Blood of Saints is that Record of Blood on Earth And this Record of Blood on Earth it was acted by Men by Christ his Apostles and Saints 19. This is the true Interpretation of the Second Record of Blood here upon Earth is it not said I. 20. They all rejoyced and said it was true so far and that they never hear'd the like 21. Now the Interpretation of the Third Record of the Spirit upon Earth You see said I that there is to be Three Records upon Earth as there is Three in Heaven Now you see there is but Two acted upon Earth as yet to wit Water and Blood 22. Now the Water Record was to witness to God the Father the Blood Record witnessed to Christ the Son and you see they were Men like your selves that did bear these Records on Earth of Water and Blood 23. Likewise you see that these Two Records on Earth they did witness to one God in Heaven Did they not said I. He answered and said They did Yet said I you see they differ one from the other in point of Worship notwithstanding they did agree to bear Record to one God in Heaven 24. Now said I as these Two Records of Water and Blood were acted upon Earth by Men so likewise must the Record of the Spirit upon Earth he acted by Men also 25. And not as People do vainly imagiin That the Two former Records were acted by Moses and the Prophets and the High Priests which were Men And the Record of the Blood was acted upon this Earth by Christ and his Apostles and Saints which were Men. 26. But you cannot conceive the Record of the Spirit upon Earth is to be acted by Men as the other Two were But you conceive that God doth act this Record upon Earth himself only by inspiring his Spirit into every Mans Heart secretly giving the Knowledge of himself 27. Two answered and said Indeed this was their Beleif 28. But said I the Record of the Spirit upon Earth must be acted by Men as the other Two were else them Words be not true That there is Three that bare Record on Earth 29. For if God which is in Heaven doth act the Record of the Spirit himself and Men acted the other Two then there is but Two Records on Earth and Four Records in Heaven 30. When they heard this they rejoyced and said to the Man that disputed with me Mr. Benet We think you have met with one that is two harde for you now CHAP. XII The Interpretation of the Third Record on Earth the Record of the Spirit and who it is acted by THEN said I The Record of the Spirit upon Earth must be acted by Men as the other Two were Now said I there must be Witnesses of the Spirit upon Earth as there was Witnesses of Water and Blood 2. And some Men must be the chief Teachers or Commissioners as he did Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles these were chosen of God and happy was it for those that beleived them in their time 3. Now said I God chose John Reeve and myself by Voice of Words to the hearing of the Ear to be his Two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit and he gave us Understanding of his Mind in the Scriptures above all the Men in the World at this Day 4. And this I know to be true and many that can witness the same I spake not this out of any Pride of Heart but out of perfect Knowledge for
with George Whitehead and Josiah Cole With his Sentance passed upon them both 1. WHO ever may read this Letter let them understand thus much that I never saw the Man nor he me but he reading the Book aforesaid he was moved by the Light within him to send this cursed Letter unto me Whereupon after I had read it I sent him an Answer to it with the Sentance of eternale Damnation for his cursed Blasphemy The Bearer staid for it 'till it was writen he being a Quaker would not go without it 2. But it came to pass that the same Night that this Thomas Loe received his Sentance in answer to his curled Letter he went to Bed sick and never did rise more till he was carried to the Grave which was almost Three Weeks after Which is a clear Testimony that the Curse of God the Man Christ Jesus by his Messenger doth take hold of the Quakers People and more especially of their Ministry 3. Because they are the absolute Spirit of Antichrist in this last Age which teacheth the People to deny both Father and Son to become Flesh and that the Father nor the Son hath no Person of his own distinct from Man but denyeth a personal God in form like Man his own Image 4. For which Cause hath the Wrath of this God overtaken several of these desperate Quakers even of their Ministers or Preachers hath been cut off this Earth that they might not deceive People no more nor incumber the Earth with their wicked Antichristian Spirit which defieth the living God who is in the form of Man who made Man in his own Image Lodowick Muggleton 5. Upon the Sickness and Death of this Thomas Loe Quaker after the Sentance sent him it caused several to discourse with me about it therefore I shall relate some of the most remarkable Passages and the Persons I discoursed with upon the 17th Day of October 1668. The Persons discoursed withal were George Whitehead and Josiah Cole both Speakers of the Quakers 6. Eirst The Words Cole spoke unto me are these saith he Thou sayest God is in form of a Man and thou sayest his Hand is not much biger than thine or mine 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 a drop of a Bucket 7. I answered and said Do you beleive 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 Dominion as he is a Creator not relating to the bigness of his Hand but to the greatness of his Power being infinite 8. An earthly King may be said to be King of many Kingdoms and that he hath brought the People of those Kingdoms to Obedience to his Law By the strength of his own Arm for Power or Strength is the right Hand of an earthly King 9. Yet the King doth not hold all the People under his Arm nor in the hollow of his Hand but the People may be said to be under his Hand and that he holds them in the hollow of his Hand because his Power and Laws doth protect them and keep them within Bounds for a prerogative Power is great but the Hand of a King is no biger than the Hand of another Man that hath no Power at all 10. So it is Gods prerogative Power that is above all Law in seting Bounds to the Waters and keeping the Waters within Bounds in the deep Places of the Earth and so may be said that God doth hold the Waters in the hollow of his Hand that is they are confined to a little place of his Power in his Creation 11. Also I said that I that am but a mortal Man hath Power over such a great God whose Hand is so big for that God whose Hand is much biger than thine or mine I have Power to Condemn This was passed by and no Reply made by them 12. Then spake Whitehead and said He did hear that I had cursed a Man and he changing his Aparel came afterwards and did procure a Blessing and that this Man or some other did smite a Pewter Pot upon my Head 13. This I said was false for never did any Man strike me over the Head with a Pot in all my Life it was that reprobate Pope that damd'd Devil that hath reported that he was Blessed after he was Cursed It is a false Report and he hath reported it several times amongst the Ranters and Quakers 14. This Pope was a Ranter then when he was Cursed which was about fifteen Years ago in John Reeve's time and he is a worse Ranter now than he was then and that you Quakers know very well and what a wicked lustful Life he liveth now in and yet you will rather beleive the damn'd Devil and wicked lustful Person than beleive me who have been kept innocent from the breach of any Law from my Childhood to this Day 15. 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 a Murtherer should be delivered from Death rather than Jesus the Saviour of all them that beleive in him 16. So is it with you for you had rather beleive this Pope this notable Sinner than to beleive 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 do say in your Hearts tho not with your Lips as those Jews did by Christ Away with this Muggleton let us have Pope that wicked lustful Man that we might hear and inquire of him 17. Then said Josiah Cole Thou saist thou art an Embassador in God's steed and thou standest in his stead said he I would willingly do anything that I might be saved 18. Then I answered him and said I will tell thee what I will say unto thee if thou wilt but deny and forsake the Quakers Principles and beleive me I will assure thee thou shalt as certainly be saved as ever any Prophet or Apostle ever was 19. Then Cole fell into a Fit and waited upon his own Thoughts what to answer and I waited for his Answer 20. But George VVhitehead perceived that Cole was in a strait he came unto me and spied a Knot of Ribon upon my Coat Sleeve and said unto me VVhy dost thou wear this Vanity and touched the Ribon with his Fingers 21. I answered and said I know a piece of Ribon is a great Sin in a Quaker's Eye But said I VVhy dost thou wear silk Buttons on both thy Coats He said they were necessary I said No thou mightest wear Hooks and Eyes Clapses or Eyletholes That was past by 22. But then I will tell thee why I do wear Ribon it is on purpose that I might not