I declared unto her so that she was very well satisfyed in her Mind and she desired that I would come often to her which I did always when she sent for me not else And she was a true Beleiver afterwards and lived in the full Assurance of her eternal Happiness after Death all the Days of her Life 13. And she had a Kinswoman a Virgin that waited upon her by reading of the Books her Aunt had of mine by stelth she became a true Beleiver her Name was Ann Loe and in process of time this Ann Loe married one William Hall a true Beleiver of this Commission of the Spirit 14. And she did grow in Wisdom and Knowledge in spiritual and heavenly Knowledge and Experience and strong in Faith more than her Aunt before her and she was a great preserver of me from the Hands of my Enemies when the King's Messengers sought after me as will more appear hereafter CHAP. II. Of one Captain Wildye an honourable Man And of one Mrs. Cowlye of her Faith and Obedience of her Husband and of her Son a University Scholar and of his Convinement by the Prophet both as to the Ministry Law and Phisick 1. ALSO there was one Captain Wildye he was one of the Masters of Trinity-House an honourable Place For that Trinity-House is a Court for the ordering of Shiping and Seamen This Captain Wildye became a very true Beleiver of this Commission of the Spirit and he shewed a great deal of Charity to several poor Beleivers of this Faith more than any perticular Person in his time 2. Also he was the occasion of bringing to this Faith one Ann Cowlye a Gentlewoman at Mile-End-Green She was carried through several Principles of Religion as Independant Quaker and Virgin-Life-People She was zealous in all things she clave unto being very desirous to be saved and afraid to be damn'd 3. She was in the Principle of a Virgin-Life and would not let her Husband know her in Twelve years before she saw me notwithstanding she had born several Children by this Man and had one Son and one Daughter living by him 4. But after she came to be acquainted with me I convinced her both by Scripture and Reason of the unlawfullness of a married Wife to live a Virgin-Life and that she could not possibly have Peace as to another Life in that Practice And I advised her to give herself up to her Husband else I could not give Judgment of Blessedness upon her to Eternity 5. She being troubled at this saying of mine was forced to yield to her Husband which thing she thought an Angel from Heaven could not have perswaded her to do 6. But the Words of a Prophet was of great Power whose Word she could not resit but obeyed his Voice and had Peace of Minde and the Blessing of eternal Life in her Self and she grew very zealous for the Commission of the Spirit and contended for the Faith very much and this thing wrought upon her by the Word of a Prophet 7. This caused her Husband to beleive also and he was a very Wife and Prudent Man of the Independant People who had been a Preacher among them he became a very knowing Man in the Faith also his Son and his Daughter became both true Beleivers of this Commission of the Spirit 8. His Son John Cowlye was well bread he was brought up at the University of Cambridge his Learning cost his Father many hundred Pounds and when he was to receave some Benefit or Livelyhood for the future for all the cost past the Benefice was to be ordain'd a Minister or a Doctor of Phisick or a Lawyer These Three be the most honourable Things in this World 9. But when he came to speak with me I convinced him of the Unlawfullness of all the Three for any Saint or Gods Elect to undertake that Practice 10. The Seed of the Serpent were the fitest Men to take them Practices upon them because all the Kingdoms of this World is given into the Hands of the Seed of the Serpent as the Devil said to Christ 11. And these Three sorts of Men are reputed by the Seed of the Serpent the most honourable Men of all and are reverenced and subjected unto both by Princes and common People yet the greatest Cheats that is in this World as will appear 12. First I shewed him how dangerous a thing it was to take upon him to be a Minister of Christ without a Commission from God it would be counted by him spiritual High Treason For Ministers are in more Danger of eternal Damnation than any other Men for going to Preach and are not sent of God 13. For when they shall say in the Conscience at that Day Lord we have preached in thy Name and prayed in thy Name and cast out Devils in thy Name 14. The Answer of God in the Conscience will say Depart from me you workers of Iniquity I know you not And why did not God know them because he did not send them So that preaching and praying as a Minister without a Commission from Christ is counted but a Work of Iniquity 15. And as for the Doctors of Phisick they are the greatest Cheats upon a natural Account that is in the World They cheat the People of their Money and of their Health for they are in the original but atheistical Witches and it would be good if there were never a Doctor of Phisick in the World People would live longer and live better in Health 16. For God never appointed any Doctor of Phisick but he appointed Nature to preserve Nature 17. But through the wicked intemperate Life of Man it hath brought a necessity of Doctors of Phisick 18. But those People that go to a Doctor of Phisick to get Health he goeth to a Witch to seek his Health even as a Man that is troubled in Mind seeketh unto a Witch that hath a Familier Spirit for satisfaction as did King Saul 19. But when the Conscience of the Doctor of Phisick shall be opened at the last Day he shall say Lord we did not think that there were any God at all but Nature only therefore our Minds fed upon Gold and Silver that groweth in the Earth that we might Cloath our selves in rich Apparel that might make us honourable among great Men of the Earth and reverenced by the Poor not thinking in the least that there was any better Heaven hereafter or any Punishment after Death for practiseing this Cheat that is Autherised by the Powers of the Nations 20. And tho' we have done a great deal of Hurt yet Lord we have done some good we have cast out many Devils in Drunkards and Whoremasters and Whores who by their Wickedness have procured that Pox which no righteous Man could cure we have made them leave off that Practice by our Medicines and Advice and from Drunkenness and have lived a sober Life afterwards and many divilish Diseases have we cast out by our Spirits of
and he doth it not their Condision is worse than the VVicked Which thing I was afraid to think of 13. Also I was afraid to question or doubt of Gods Prerogative Power in raising the Dead at the last Day or performing his Promise to Abraham Isaack and Jacob and the rest of the Seed of the Lord But I could have been glad if there had been no Resurrection at all neither of the Righteous nor Unrighteous 14. But thought I what is that to me if I be raised to Hell-Fire Then I reasoned in myself saying It is above Five Thousand Years since the Creation of this World and perhaps it may last Five Thousand Years more then shall I ly still in the Earth a great while before I am raised So that I shall escape the Torments of Hell for a long time thinking to have Hope in this Argument 15. But I was thrown out here immediately and my Hope cut-off for the Answer said VVhat if it should be Five Thousand Years before thou art raised again consider it will not be a quarter of an Hours time before thou art raised again 16. For there is no time to the Dead all time is to the Living for it will not be thought a quarter of an Hour by Adam the first Man when he is raised from the Dead he shall not think he hath been in the Grave one quarter of an Hour 17. Then I conceived if a Man slept a sound Sleep three Days that is no time to him Time is known to him that was awake that three Days 18. So this yielded me no Comfort but increased my Fears of Hell the more 19. One Argument more I had arising in me thinking to have got some Ease and Hope here Thought I this World hath been so many Thousand Years already and may be as many more for ought I know 20. And there hath been many Millions of People since the Creation more than can be numbered and more than be numbered hath been drowned in the Sea and other places 21. Sure said I in myself God cannot remember every perticular Person since the Creation thereof Thought I perhaps God may forget me and not raise me again then shall I ly still and be quiet and be as happy never to be as those that are raised to eternal Joys 22. But the Answer to this speak with a strong motional Voice saying How wilt thou know whether any is missing when God doth raise the Dead How canst thou tell whether any perticular Person is wanting by Sea or Land that is not raised 23. But however said the Voice if there be any wanting that is not raised God will be sure to raise thee 24. Then had I no more to say nor to plead for myself but must yield and submit to the prerogative Will of God if he would save me he might if he would damn me he might I could no ways prevent his Will 25. And this was my Resolution seeing the Case in matter of Salvation so with me that it lay in God's prerogative Will only I was resolved to seek after him in Forms of Worship no more 26. But as I had been always kept innocent and upright in Heart towards that God I knew not and Just between Man and Man and never had committed any deadly Sin to trouble my Conscience so I was resolved to keep myself free from Sin to the end of my Life 27. Thinking that if I were damned meerly by Gods prerogative Will my Torment would be the more easy 28. Here a secret Voice said Tho thy Torment may be easier than others yet it is eternal 29. This Word Eternity caused my Heart to fail within me yet I resolved in myself to live justly and get as good a Livelyhood as I could in this World and let God do what he would with me after Death 30. All this Dispute which I have written before and a great deal more it was in one Day CHAP. XIII The Prophets submitting to Gods prerogative Power immediately wrought in him Peace and Quietness of Mind even to all admiration in Wisdom and ravishing Excellencies 1. IN the next place I shall give the Reader a little account of the Ephects of this Dispute as follows 2. When I had done this I was quiet and still in my Mind but very Melancholy and faint and sickly with the Trouble of my all Day in this Dispute which was in my Mind 3. Neither could I quiet my Thoughts untill I did submit to God's prerogative Power 4. There was abundance more of motional Voices spake in me that Day besides what I have here set down but these were the most remarkable to be taken notice of by the Reader yet it was a blessed Day to me as it will appear hereafter by that which followeth 5. After this that very same Night the Windows of Heaven were opened to me and the Fountains of the Water in Heaven were broken up and the Water of Life run down from Heaven upon me 6. And the Spirit of Faith in my Heart here on Earth did arise up with sweet Waters of Peace so that I said in myself as Peter did in another Case It is good for me to be here for I was in the Paradice of Heaven within Man upon Earth neither could I desire any better Heaven 7. Then was the Scriptures opened unto me so swiftly and more swiftly than my Understanding could receive it and the Waters of Life run down from the understanding of the Scriptures abundantly And the knowldge of the Scriptures flowed in upon my Understanding faster than I could receive it and yet I thought my Mind was very swift 8. Then was no saying of Scripture too hard for me to understand Then I saw that the assurance of eternal Life here on this side of Death it lay in understanding the Scriptures 9. Then I marvelled no longer at the Fathers of Old in their expressing their Faith in God and depending upon Gods Promises to them 10. Also I saw the Excellency of the Prophets Prophesies Neither did I wonder any more at Paul's Expressions when he was wrapt up into the third Heaven and saw things unutterable 11. Neither could I utter the Revelations of the Scriptures as was poured upon me at that time nor the Joy and Peace I received from the Revelation of the Scriptures 12. For it brought unto my Mind all my Experience I had formerly and shewed what did uphold me at that time even a single upright Heart before God and Man 13. Then the assurance of eternal Life cast out all Doubts and Fears of Condemnation neither did I ever doubt of that more after that day 14. Then I praised the Scriptures highly which I had laid aside several years before 15. Then did I see it was not in vain to submit to Gods prerogative Will and to wait in patience 16. Here was that saying of Scripture fulfilled in me Isaiah 42.16 And I will bring the Blind by a Way that they knew
was And she said Knock at that Window and my Lord will look out 10. So the Woman parted from us then John Robins put by a Borde of the Window and looked out and John Reeve put off his Hat and held it under his Arm and said Art thou John Robins He said to John Reeve Put on your Hat He said I put it not off to thee but to him that sent me 11. Stand thou 〈◊〉 and hear the Message of the Lord to thee He answer'd and said I will not except you put on your Hat This he said three times Said John Reeve the third time 12. I put not my Hat off to thee but to him that sent me Therefore I charge thee to stand still and hear the Message of the Lord to thee After the third time John Robins said speak on 13. Then John Reeve spake and said Thou maist remember I was with thee about Six or Eight Months ago and thou didst declare unto me That thou wert Adam Melchisadick that met Abraham in the way that received the Tithes of the Spoil and that gave Abraham Bread and Wine 14. Also thou saidst to me that thou wast the first Adam in state and that thou wert the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and that thou knewest the Names of all Angels and their Natures And that thou hadst Power over all Voices And that thou wast the Judge of the Quick and the Dead And that Christ was a weak and imperfect Saviour and afraid to dy but thou wast not afraid to dy 15. Also thou didst deceave many People in that thou madest them bring in their Estates and then gavest them leave to abstain by degrees from all kind of Food that should have preserved and strengthed their Natures But thou didst feed them with windy things as Aples and other Fruit that was windy and they drank nothing but Water 16. So that thou hadst full Power over their Bodies Souls and Estates and some were starved under thy Dyet and dyed Therefore look what measure thou hath measured to others must be measur'd again to thee 17. That Body of thine which was thy Heaven must be thy Hell and that proud Spirit of thine which said was God must be thy Devil 18. The one shall be as Fire and the other as Brimstone burning together to all Eternity This is the Message of the Lord unto thee 19. John Robins pulled his Hands off the Grates and laid them together and said It is finished the Lord's Will be done These were all the Words he spake I was both an Eye-Witness and Ear-Witness of it 20. After this it came to pass that about two Months after John Robins did write a Letter of Recantation of all his great matters unto General Cromwell and so obtained his Liberty out of Prison 21. And one of our Acquaintance went to him and asked him how he could do so And he answered and said That after those two Men had passed Sentence upon him he had a burning in his Throat as if he should be burn'd to Ashes and that he had a Voice within him which bid him deny those things he had declared of himself before and he should have his Liberty 22. And said afterwards he should come forth with a greater Power but he never came forth more with any Power at all to his dying Day 23. Thus these two great Heads John Tauny was the Head of that Mistery Babel the atheistical Ranters and Quaquers Princsiple And John Robins was the Head of all false Christs false Prophets and false Prophetesses that were in the World at that Day and there were many 24. Now John Robins was that Man of Sin spoken of in Thesalonians Neither will there come any so high after him to the end of the World 25. Thus the Reader may see that these two Powers were brought down in these two days Messages from the Lord. CHAP. IV. When the transcendant Treatis was wrote many People more offended with the Doctrin than the Commission Of the Letter sent to the Ministers and when How the Children mocked John Reeve called him Prophet Prophet and followed him slinging Stones at him and how a Woman hearing this followed the Prophet to his House and was converted to the Faith Of Sentence given upon one Penson and its Effets 1. AFter this there came a many People to Discourse with us and asked Questions about many things in matters of Religion and we answered them to all Questions whatsoever could arise out of the Heart of Men and some few were satisfied and beleived 2. And many dispised it calling it Blasphemy Delusion and Lys and we gave the Sentance of eternal Damnation upon all those that blasphemed against the Holy Ghost 3. After this in the year 1652. John Reeve wrote that Book called A transcendant spiritual Treatis wherein is declared the Words God spake unto him three mornings together to the hearing of the Ear and his Message to John Tauny and to John Robins Which is more largly set down with several Interpretations of Scripture concerning the true God and right Devil 4. Never so clearly made manifest by any as now in that Treatis 5. Many People were more offended at the Doctrine therein than at the Commission 6. After this John wrote a Letter to several Ministers in London and about London which was afterwards printed forbiding them to preach any more after the receipt of this Epistle upon pain of Damnation to Eternity 7. These Epistles were given to the most eminent Presbiterian and Independant Ministers in London and about London For they were in Power at that time 8. After this it came to pass in the same year that as John Reeve was going through Pauls-Church-Yard one that he had given the Sentence of Damnation upon said unto some Boys There goes the Prophet that damns People 9. The Boys hearing this run after him calling him Prophet Prophet and threw Gravel and little Stones at him so he made hast into Pauls and the Boys left him And a Woman named Elizabeth More seeing the Boys cast Stones at him and calling him Prophet she followed him into Pauls keeping a distance from him to see where he would go So she followed him and he came to my House in great Trinity-Lane London 10. And she desired to speak with him being a Prophet for she had a great respect for Prophets So she told those things she had seen and she became a true Beleiver of this Commission of the Spirit 11. After this it came to pass in the same year that I Lodowick Mugleton having occasion to go into Hounds-Ditch to see my Master's Son where I was Prentice as I went through the Minories London there I met with one Morgan Guilliam a Man that had been Prentice with my Master 12. And he would needs have me drink with him that he might have some talk with me for he said he heard strange Things of me So I went in with him into
They made nothing of that 11. So the Time appointed came and there was prepared a good Dinner of Pork and the three came ready prepared to curse us and our God 12. So Proudlove and Remington went from us to those Men and Remington said unto them If you three will go up and curse them and their God you shall have a good Dinner of Porke 13. Then one the stoutest of the Three said unto him pray tell me what is their God that we must curse 14. Remington answered and said That the Lord Jesus Christ is their God and they own no other Father or God but he And now if you will go in they be there and curse them and the Lord Jesus Christ their God you shall have a good Dinner of Porke 15. When they heard this the most stoutest Man of them smote his Hand on his Breast and said If that be their God I will never do it if I might gain the whole World And said That he was sorry and troubled that he should conceive such a thing in his Heart So said the other Two We will do no such Wickedness So they departed without their Dinner of Porke 16. But he that repented himself could not be at quiet in his Mind until such time he had asked us Forgiveness 17. So we forgave him his Sin for that and he remained very kind to John Reeve all his days tho he did not beleive that we were the two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit 18. Also this Remington was called to an account by John Reeve as one in this Plot and he told the truth how Proudlove laid the Plot and that he did but go with him being an old Acquaintance So we forgave Remington and gave Proudlove the Sentence of Condemnation to Eternity CHAP. VII Of the Dispute with Mr. Leader a New-England Merchant and of the Prophet's convincing him how that God had a Body and how God is worshiped in Spirit and Truth with Bodys and that there is no Spirit without a Body 1. AFTER this in the Year 1653 there came a certain Man a Merchant and a great Travellor into many parts of the World and he was a religious Man but had somwhat declined the outward Forms of Worship because he could find no Rest there 2. So he applied his Heart more to Philosophy and the knowledg of Nature more than Religion for he thought he had seen the utmost of Religion and that there was nothing in it 3. Indeed he was a great Philosopher and a very wise Man in the things of Nature His Name was Richard Leader 4. It came to pass when he came out of New-England being persecuted there because he could not submit to their forms of Worship and when he came into Old-England again he heard there were two Prophets now risen up who called themselves The two Witnesses c. 5. So he enquired where he might speak with these Prophets so he was brought unto us and he was very sober in his talk and he propounded his Questions with great Moderation 6. The first Question was concerning God Whether God that created all things could admit of being any Form of himself 7. We answered and said That God made Man in his own Image and Likeness And if Man have a Form then God must needs have a Form himself even in the form of Man else them Words of Moses are not true That God made Man in his own Image and breathed into him the Breath of Life and he became a living Soul 8. Mind the Form of Man was the Image and Likeness of God before God breathed into him the Breath of Life 9. Therefore God must needs be in the form of a Man from Eternity Therefore it was that God said Let us make Man after our own Image and Likeness This was the true Sense and Meaning of Moses and it is dangerous for any Man to deny it 10. Besides said we there is no Spirit can have any Being without a Body neither God Angels nor Man And further that God that is a Spirit without a Body is no God at all 11. For we that are men that have Bodies have power over all Spirits whatsoever that have no Bodies For it is the dark Imagination of Reason in man that hath created to it self Spirits without Bodies which is none of God's Creation 12. When he heard this he considered the things of Nature that no Spirit could have any being without its Body 13. Then he marvelled and said Where have we been all this while that took God for a Spirit without a Body Oh! how have we been in the dark 14. But said he doth not Christ say God is a Spirit and God will be worshiped in spirit and truth And Christ said His Words were Spirit and Life 15. We answered and said Can a Man worship God in Spirit and Trust without a Body He said No. Then said I neither can God accept of any Mans worship except he hath a Body of his own For God hath a Body of his own as Man hath a Body of his own only God's body is spiritual and heavenly clear as Christial brighter than the Sun swifter than Thought yet a body 16. But Man's body is earthly and made of the Earth in the image and likeness of God's own body only Man's body is of the Earth earthly and God's body is the Lord from Heaven heavenly Yet Man's body is the image of God as well as his Soul as Moses did truly mean as he spake 17. For this I say that if Man's Body and Soul had been spiritual in its Creation then when Man's Thoughts do assend up to Heaven his body would assend with it in the twinkling of an Eye 18. For the Thoughts of Man are swift and if his body which is earthly do but put on Immortality then his body would assend with his Thoughts up into the Aire and so to Heaven 19. These immortal bodies can do and at the last day these vile bodies of ours that doth truly beleive shall be made like unto his own glorious body 20. For now our bodies are natural bodies but when these natural bodies shall rise spiritual bodies then shall Immortality take place and these vile bodies of ours that are now mortal yet made in the image of God's own glorious body shall be spiritual and heavenly bodies even like unto his glorious body 21. And because God's body is spiritual and heavenly and cannot be seen by the natural sight of the Eye therefore it was that Christ said God is a Spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and truth 22. Observe For as a Man cannot worship in spirit and truth without a body neither is that any God at all that hath no body of its own neither is a Spirit without a body of its own any Object of Faith or Worship for a Spirit without a body hath no substance And as for those words of Christ being Spirit and Life consider they
were spoken from a body 23. For this I say no words whatsoever can be spoken of any Spirit that hath no body For those words God spoke to Moses and the Prophets they were from the body of God And those words Christ spoke that was spirit and life was from his body when on Earth And those words he spoke to Paul after he was assended up to Heaven it was from his own body 24. So that without Controversy no Spirit can speak at all or hath any being without a body And this is the very Cause that Men find so little Comfort in worshiping and beleiving in such a God that is a spirit without a body 25. Also we declared unto him the nature of God shewing that there can be no form without a nature for it is the nature that gives the form 26. Also we shewed unto him the Person and Nature of Angels and the Person and Nature of the right Divel and the rice of the two Seeds and the secret Misteries how God became Flesh and how the Divel became Flesh and many other things which satisfied his mind 27. So that he became a true Beleiver of this Commission of the Spirit and shewed Kindness unto John Reeve all the days of his Life likewise his Brother George Leader became a true beleiver 28. This Mr. Richard Leader grew very mighty in Wisdom and Knowledge both in natural and spiritual Wisdom so that every great Man of his Acquaintance did submit unto his Wisdom and lov'd him for his Knowledge so he continued in it all his Life but about a year or two after John Reeve dyed he dyed at Barbadoes CHAP. VIII Of one Mr. Cooper a great Disputant and how convinced And how a true Ministry is known from a false Of his Conversion And how he passed Sentance of Damnation upon Fifteen of his Companions And of his trouble for so doing without Commission And of a Minister's censoring him to be bewitched 1. AFTER this in the same year it came to pass that a certain man a Silk-Weaver his name was Cooper He being acquainted with one Mrs. White who was a beleiver of this Commission of the Spirit She lived in Duning hill-Ally near More-fields 2. This Man was very desirous that she would tell him how he might speak with these two Prophets for he had a great desire to see us and speak with us so she directed him where 3. So when the Man came and found us both together the Man desired to drink with us thinking in himself that he could talk and discourse better over a Cup of Drink than otherway because it was his Custom so to do 4. For he thought himself very strangly armed with Questions thinking it impossible for us to answer because he could finde none that ever he had talked withal Ministers nor other to do it 5. So we went with him to drink and he propounded his Questions concerning the true God and the right Devil and how the Devil came to be and how a Man may know the History of the Scripture to be true seeing they did contradict themselves in many places with several other things 6. Unto which we gave him a full Answer unto whatsoever he asked so that he could not make any Reply against anything we said 7. Also we showed him the power of the Commission of Moses and the power of the Commission of Christ and his Apostles and the power of our Commission in this Age. 8. And that every Commission had power to bless and curs Men to eternity and that he was no true Minister of Christ which had not power to bless and curs 9. For if a Man pretend to be a Minister of the Gospel and cannot say to him that beleiveth in him to be a true Minister and the Doctrine he preacheth to be true is bessed to eternity 10. And say to that Person as dispiseth and persecuteth the Person of this Minister and his Doctrine is cursed Soul and Body to eternity If he have not Power to do this he is no true Minister of Christ neither did Christ send him to preach unto the People 11. These things stuck upon the Mans Mind exceedingly and he was much affected in Love towards us and he was elevated in his Mind as if he would get up to Heaven immediately 12. And he thought himself so strong now that he could drive all People before him 13. So he departed from us elevated in his Mind He went among his own Company and those of his own Trade and he talked amongst them of things he had heard and that he had been with two Prophets 14. But his Company laughed him to scorn But he in his elevation and zeal to what he had heard gaâ—e Sentance of Damnation to eternity upon fifteen of his Companions 15. Some were angry at him and some laughed and scoffed at him and said he was bewitched 16. It came to pass that the next Day after he had given Sentance upon those fifteen Persons he fell sick yet he held to what he had said the Day before 17. So that his Wife and some of them he had damned said the Man was bewitched and would needs send for the Minister of the Parish to pray with him and give his Judgment whether he was bewitched or no. 18. But when the Minister came the Man would not let him pray for him 19. So the Minister gave his Judgment that the Man was absolutely bewitched But after three or four days the Man got up and was well again and told us what the Minister had said and confessed that he damned fifteen Men which was the cause of that Trouble in his Mind 20. Because he did it without a Commission not but that I do beleive they will be all damned as I said but my Trouble was for giving Sentance without a Commission 21. For at that time no Beleiver gave Sentance upon any Dispiser but us two only But in that he confessed his Fault he was forgiven by us CHAP. IX Of one Captain Stasy a friend to the two Witnesses and of their Dispute with a Minister proving that God was in the form of a Man And of the Minister's Blasphemy and John Reeve's passing the Sentance upon him and that he should never see any other God but that Sentance And how John Reeve was threaten'd with a Warrant from Cromwell or the Councel of State And how John replyed that if they dispised as the Priest had done that he would pronounce them damn'd 1. AFter this it came to pass in the year 1653. there was one Captain Stasy in the Parliament's Service that came to talk with us he was a wise and moderate Man able to hear and bear Words but did not beleive what we said 2. But he heard us gladly and liked many things which we spake insomuch that he invited us to Dinner at the Inn where he quartered 3. So we went there was of his Acquaintance a Minister as they are called a Cambridge
Person neither should the Maior accept of her 21. And I had never a Friend more in that Town but one Edward Fewterer but he was not in the way at that present so could not procure Bail 22. But was committed into the Constables Hands that Night and as soon as ever I was committed Prisoner into his Hands to be sent to Darby Goale the next Morning being Sixteen long Miles from Chesterfield 23. Then the Baylies of the Town seezed upon my Horse for the Lord of the Mannor and sent me to the Goal upon their own Horse 24. But I was more troubled for the Horse than for myself because my Friend John Brante at London was ingaged for the Horse else pay four Pounds 25. But my Friend Dorothy Carter she went to the Earle of Newcastle he being Lord of the Mannor and she told him what these Baylies had done 26. So the Earle sent for them and was angry with them and did reprove them and said Will you take away a Man's Horse before he be Convicted and Condemn'd I charge you said he that the Horse be put to Grass and that no Saddle be put upon his Back and let the Owner pay for his Meat if he be quit or otherwise 27. So it was done according to his Command CHAP. X. The Priest gave that Character of the Prophet of a wise and sober Man The Prophet gave the like Character on Pendor Of a Dispute between the Prophet and two of the Officers of the Town and the Keeper of the Person and the Sheriff's Men. The Prophet proves Three Records on Earth to answer the Three Records in Heaven All this in the Goal 1. NOW I shall speak of somthing of my Imprisonment in Darby Goal which is as follows 2. For all the Priest's Malice towards me yet he could say to the Aldermen when I was gone That this Man was the soberest wisest Man of a Phanatick that ever he talked with for he thought I had been like the Quakers 3. This did one of the Aldermen tell me for he was as Nicodemas his Name was Pendor he came to me by Night for he had a great desire to talk with me alone so that Night I was in the Constables House he had his desired Oppertunity 4. And when I was Prisoner in Darby Goal there came the Sheriff's Men and Two of the Officers of the Town and the Keeper of the Prison to talk with me 5. The Officers of the Town came to me thinking themselves wise and knowing enough in the Scriptures especially one of them for to talke or dispute with me 6. But the Sheriff's Men came on purpose to insnare me if they could so one of them the most surly angriest Man of them asked me saying Have you taken the Oath of Allegance and Supremacy 7. I answered and said That Prophets do not use to swear Did you ever read in Scripture that Kings have been subject to Prophets Words and those Kings were happy that were obedient to the voice of Prophets 8. Why said he are you a Prophet 9. Yea said I that I am a Prophet 10. Then said he do you go to Church to hear our Ministers At that time there was a Law to persecute Men that did not come to Church which caused him to ask that Question 11. I answered him and said That it is not the practice of Prophets to go to Church to learn of your Ministers the Ministers ought to hear Prophets and learn of them 12. For Prophets were always above Bishops and Ministers 13. When he heard me answer him so confidently and with Authority as from Heaven he said no more 14. And when the Officers of that Town heard me answer him so positive they were the more afraid to enter into a Dispute with me 15. Yet one of them being more Atheistical being of the Saduce Spirit upon whose Wisdom and Knowledge they all depended upon he was a moderate Man and asked his Questiens moderately as you shall hear 16. Saith he Mr Mugleton you say thers is Three Commissions or Records to be acted upon this Earth and you say your Commission is the Commission of the Spirit and the last Now saith he if you could prove this by Scripture I should be satisfied 17. I answered and said unto him will you beleive me if I do prove it by Scripture here before these People 18. Then said he truly I think I shall beleive you if you prove it by Scripture 19. Then the Keeper and all the Men were silent and speak not a word none but he and I. 20. Then said I you shall not be troubled with any more Scriptures than that in the Epistle of John the 5th Chapter and such Scriptures as do allude to the same purpose where it is said There is Three that bare Record in Heaven the Father Word and Spirit and these Three are one And there are Three that bare Record on Earth the Water Blood and Spirit and these Three agree in one 21. Said I here you see that there is Three Records to be upon Earth answerable to the Three Records in Heaven and as the Three Records in Heaven were but one God though called Father Word and Spirit 22. So likewise the Three Records on Earth of Water Blood and Spirit are said yet do agree in one as the Scripture saith do you beleive this 23. He answered and said he did and so they said all 24. Then said I you see this one God in Heaven is called Father Word and Spirit yet but one God yet said to be Three that bare Record in Heaven yet but one God 25. Said I how will you interpret this Scripture 26. He answered and said he knew not how but desired me to unfold it 27. Then said I these Three that bare Record in Heaven it was spoken in relation to the Three Records on Earth 28. For this one God bearing Three Records in Heaven would have signified but little unto Mankind had there not been Three Records on this Earth given unto Men to declare unto Men the Three Records in Heaven 29. That Men might understand that one true God that is in Heaven demonstrated by Three Titles of Father Word and Spirit 30. Which God cannot be known but by the Three Records on Earth and those Three Records on Earth must be acted by Men that Men and Women may come to know that one true God in Heaven which is distinguished by Father Word and Spirit and be saved 31. For it is Life eternal to know the true God and he is to be known no other way but by these Three Records on Earth of Water Blood and Spirit and these Three Records on Earth are acted by Men be they not said I. He said yea CHAP. XI Shewing the Interpretations of the Two past Records on Earth of Water and Blood being undeniably unfolded 1. THEN said I will you interprit who those Men were and are that have acted the Records of Water and Blood
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
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
be taken or thought to be a Quaker for I do hate the Quakers Principle 23. With that VVhitehead said Thou hatest all Righteousness and spake as if he himself Cole and Fox and others of the Quakers were writing a Book against me to make me manifest which in a little time after it was set forth by VVilliam Pen a Quaker And further said that they would post me up and he slighted my Power and my God and said he would trample my God and my Power under his Feet as Dirt and taped his Foot upon the Ground 24. Whereupon I did pronounce George VVhitehead cursed and damn'd Soul and Body to Eternity and that God within him which he trusted in was cursed also and so I ceased Discourse with him 25. All this while Cole was in his Fit and said not one word but immediately after he uttered these words saith he I have heard of several thou hast cursed but said he I did not beleive had I not heard or seen I could not have beleived that a Man could have spoken so presumptiously 26. Then said I dare you say that I speak presumptiously to George VVhitehead he said he did beleive it was Presumption 27. Then said I on the contrary I do beleive that thou art the Seed of the Serpent and wilt be damn'd and now see whose Faith will be strongest yours or mine for my Faith shall keep you down for ever 28. Under what said Cole 29. Under eternal Damnation said I. 30. Then said he Dost thou ground thy Sentance upon my Belief 21. Yea said I I do for you beleive I speak presumptiously and I do beleive you to be the Seed of the Serpent and will be damn'd to eternity 32. Then said he Dost thou judge this to be a final Sentance upon me said I Yea what should it else be 33. With that Josiah Cole rose up with great zeal for his God within him and said I told thee before that I would try thee and thy God saying that they were seting forth a Writing against me and withal Cole pronounced many Curses upon me with his Eyes dazled with the Witchcraft Power in him being disturbed with my Words it got up into his Head 34. So that VVhitehead and he both came near me with great Threatnings and Judgments upon me being both so full of Curses Cole cursed me into utter Darkness Pit of Darkness Chains of Darkness blackness of Darkness and that he would trample that God of mine that was in the form of Man under his Feet as Dirt and stamp'd his Foot upon the Ground as the other Devil did Cole's Curses were much what like Thomas Loe his Curses in his Letter to me 35. But when Cole had done cursing I said these Words unto him That this Sentance that I had passed upon him should stick by him for ever and that he should never put it out of his Mind neither should he grow Mad nor Distracted to forget it but should be sensible all the Days of his Life 36. And when my God whom you trampled under your Feet shall raise you again at the last Day which will not seem to you a quarter of an Hours time you shall remember afresh my VVords what I said unto you in this Life to eternity 37. Many more Words was between us at that time but these were the Words and Passages of most concernment at that time and a final Judgment and Sentance of eternal Damnation that I gave that Day upon Josiha Cole and George VVhitehead Speakers of the Quakers CHAP. IV. Of Cole's being sick unto Death immediately after the Sentance of his Testimony against the Prophet Of his Death The Quakers God described with the nature of Reason and the Law that is writen in it Of William Pen's blasphemous Letter to the Prophet 1. NOW in some Four or Five Days time after our Dispute I heard that Josiah Cole was sick and going out of the Body For the Quakers do not beleive that their Souls do die but slips out of the Body 2. This caused the Quakers People to visit him very much to know of him whether Muggleton's Words had taken place in him wondering that he should go out of the Body so sudenly after Muggleton's Sentance as Thomas Loe did after his Sentance But he denyed very stifly that my Words had no Power over him but that he had left me in Chains of Darkness 3. Nevertheless he grew worse and worse so that the Quakers were not satisfied except he would go to the Peal in St. John's Street at their Meeting-place and give his Testimony against Muggleton before the People to satisfy the ignorant Quakers else they would judge that his Power in Loe and him was greater than the Ministry of the Quakers 4. So they led him by the Arms to the place aforesaid and Josiah Cole wrote his Testimony as followeth exactly word for word For as much as I have been informed that Lodowick Muggleton hath vaunted concerning my departure out of the Body because of his pretended Sentance of Damnation given against me I am mov'd to leave this Testimony concerning him behind me namely that he is a Son of Darkness and Coe-worker with the Prince of the bottomless Pit in which his Inheritance shall be for ever and the Judgment I passed on him when present with him stands sealed by the Spirit of the Lord by which I then declared to him that in the Name of that God who spans out the Heavens with his Span and measures the Waters with the hollow of his Hand I bind thee hear on Earth and thou art bound in Heaven and in the Chain under Darkness to the judgment of the great Day thou shalt be reserved And thy Faith and Strength thou bosteth of I defy and trample under Foot And I do hereby further declare the said Lodowick to be a false Prophet in what he said to me at that time who told me that from thenceforth I should be always in fear of Damnation which should be a Sign to me that I was damn'd which Fear I was never in so that his Sign given by himself did not follow his Prophecy which sufficiently declares him to be a false Prophet Josiah Cole 5. This was given forth word for word by Josiah Cole about Three Hours before his departure out of the Body the Fifteenth of the Eleventh Month 68. 6. Whoever doth read this last Testimony of Josiah Cole may easily see that the Curse I pronounced upon him by Commission received from the Man Christ Jesus the only wise God blessed for ever in the form of a Man whom he dispised and trampled under his Feet as Dirt. 7. For this very Sin did this Curse of this God pronounced by me take Ephect upon him and Thomas Loe immediately after their cursed Blasphemy against the true God 8. I was zealous in giving Sentance upon them in that I heard the true God was trampled under their Foot as Dirt. 9. As for their Reproaches Lyes
of the Eleventh Morning of the Twelfth Month 1668. from the glorious Majesty of the most high God who fils Heaven and Earth that lives in his Servant William Pen junior CHAP. V. The Answer of Lodowick Muggleton to William Pen Quaker his proud presumptious and blasphemous Letter 1. WIlliam Pen I have perused your proud presumptious blasphemous Letter against the true God how hath your Learning lifted up your Heart with Pride to fight against the true God and to bid him Defiance to his Face and let him stand forth and see if he can deliver himself from your bodiless God that gave you a Commission as you say 2. You know that Reeve and myself have declared in all our Writings that the Lord Jesus Christ is our God and that the Worlds were made by him and that nothing was made in the Beginning but what was made by him as the Scripture saith 3. This Man Christ Jesus was in the form of Man a spiritual heavenly and glorious Body before this World was 4. And in the Beginning this glorious spiritual Body made Man in his own Image and Likeness the Form of Man else Moses's Words were not true do you disprove it if you can 5. Only the Man Adam his Body was earthly and made of the Earth but God's Body was spiritual and heavenly yet in Form like Adam And Adam was a Man which none can deny that owns the Scriptures 6. And in process of time this God became Flesh and dwelt among Men and that he took upon him the Form of a Servant and was in all things like unto Man Sin excepted and made himself capable to be put to Death by the Seed of the Serpent his own Creatures his Blood was poured out unto Death for the Redemption of the Seed of Adam to make good that Promise to Adam in Paradice That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpent's Head Which was fulfilled when he suffered Death upon the Cross 7. And when he quickened out of Death into Life again then was that Saying fulfilled Oh Death I will be thy Death Oh Grave I will be thy Victory And that other Saying I am Alpha and Omega the First and the Last he that was dead and behold I am alive for ever more 8. This Alpha and Omega was Christ and he was God and this Christ was the Lord from Heaven a quickening Spirit And was there any other God or Alpha or Omega that dyed but Christ and did any quicken out of Death to Life again but he and did any God become Flesh and dwell with Man but Christ 9. And was not Christ in the form of Man when on Earth did not he retain the same form when he assended up to Heaven and doth retain the same Form now he is glorified and is in the same Glory which he had before this World was 10. Oh Pen How is it that you cannot understand that Eternity did become Time and Time is become Eternity again That is that spiritual and glorious immortal Body of God that was eternal before Man was made but in the fulness of time this glorious immortal Body became a pure mortal Body even Jesus Christ capable to dye so eternity became Time And in that he quickened out of Death into Life again Mortality became Immortal again and Time became Eternity again 11. This great Mistory That God became Flesh is hid from the Eyes of the Seed of the Serpent such as William Pen the Quaker is and revealed unto us unlearned Men. 12. And this is that God that Reeve and Muggleton hath declared in our Writings and this God we received our Commission from and that Power to Bless and Curse to Eternity 13. This God you have proudly and blasphemously defied and trampled under your Feet as Dirt also you have boldly challenged the true and living God that is in the form of Man to touch or hurt you and stand in a holy Defiance of me and my God's Strength and that me and my God is chained and on me and my God you trample and to the bottomless Pit you have sentanced us both me and my God And if this be not high Blasphemy Pride and Presumption against the living God there never was any 14. Oh Pen did you never read how Goliah defyed the living God the God of Israel and how David flung a Stone into his Forehead and slew him for defying the living God the God of Israel For David knew the God of Israel was in the form of a Man but Goliah his God was the same God as the Quakers God is a bodiless God so vast and so bigg that he cannot be confined neither to the vast Heavens above nor in this vast Earth below but he must fill the Aire also and all Places at one and the same time This is the Heathens God and the Quakers God also 15. Did you never read of Corath and his Company Captains of Rebellion and Conspiracy against Moses and Aaron and against God that chose them to teach the People neither would God suffer any other Men to do it but them he chose therefore it was the Earth clave and swallowed them all up alive 16. Now you Pen and many of you Quakers have practised the same thing against Reeve and Muggleton whom the God of Heaven hath chosen in perticular and no other Man upon Earth at this Day to set Life and Death before Men. 17. Now hath not you and your Captain Teachers of the Quakers Railed Reviled Reported and Condemned Reeve and Muggleton and our God the Man Christ Jesus in Glory because we had our Commission from him to open Hels Mouth and swallow up such Rebels as you are into those eternal Torments where the Worm of Conscience shall never dye nor the Fire of Hell never go out for your dispising the living God in the form of a Man which you Quakers have done and are more guilty than any People in the World 18. Neither are you sensible of the great Ephects that this Commission God gave to Reeve and Muggleton hath wrought How many of your valiant Captains and mighty Men of War have fallen by the two edged Sword of the Spirit put into my Mouth even the Commission God put upon me 19. Do not you miss many of your Captains and Leaders of the Quakers What is become of William Smith Samuel Hutton Thomas Taylor Richard Farnesworth and many more I could name here of late Years Do you not miss Thomas Loe and Josiah Cole These were valiant Men like your self to reproach and defy the living God 20. Are you not sensible how the Curse of God took hold of them sudainly after they had defyed the living God in the form of a Man 21. And now last of all you come like Goliah the Philistian with a Commission from a great bodiless God that can neither be found neither in Heaven nor in Earth nor no place else signed and sealed to defy the living God that
God to take no notice of that but to blot it out of his Remembrance as if God were beholding to Man to do well when as there is a Blessing in Well doing and a Curse in Evil doing 14. For this I say if there were no God to reward the Good nor punish the Evil yet could I do no otherways than I do for I do well not because I expect any Reward from God and I refrain from Evil not for fear God should see me or seeing me will punish me or that his Person doth take notice or mind me in it at all but I do well and refrain from Evil to please the Law writen in my Heart so that I might not be accused in my own Conscience by that Law writen in my Heart as God hath placed for a Watchman to tell me when I do well and when I do ill 15. So I being justified by Faith in my own Conscience and being not condemned by the Law writen in my Heart I have Confidence to the Throne of Grace Neither do I refrain from Evil for fear God seeing me and so to punish me but I refrain from Evil because the Law in my Heart seeth all my doings and that Watchman God hath set there to watch me will tell God of all my Doings and that Law will be the only Accuser of Conscience 16. So that God needs not to trouble himself to watch over every Man and Woman's Actions himself but hath placed his Law a Watchman in every Heart as above said 17. Thus in the Original God taketh Notice by his Law Not that I do own the Law writen 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 And no other ways doth God mind or take notice now at this time but by this Law 18. And to that Second Assertion how the Saints are not to mind God at all it is plain and is Truth also as by Scripture appears how that he that receiveth a Prophet in God's Name receiveth him that sent him And seeing God doth not come to treat with Men himself he sends his Prophet or Embassador in his stead and he is impowred by him to make Peace between God and Man upon such Articles as the Prophet and the People can agree on And thus 19. Whoever beleives the Prophet's Report shall be saved and he that doth not beleive his Prophet's Report shall be damned Therefore it is said by Esau who hath beleived our Report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed So that God hath placed the whole Power in the Prophet to determin upon Life and Salvation as if God was present himself and if the People do not agree with the Prophet while he is in the way how shall a Man make his Peace with God 20. For God will say to such that shall think to come to him and dispise the Prophet If you would not receive the Prophet whom I sent you will not receive me if I should come my self 21. So that God doth not expect that you should come unto him but unto the Prophet only neither doth he own your coming unto him for he will say you should have minded my Prophet and have beleived him and have made your Peace with him and then I would have accepted of you for it will be said to you as it was unto Dives They have Moses and the Prophets c. 22. So it will be said to you if you believe not my last Prophet whom I sent he hath spoken unto you and hath declared Life and Salvation unto you and if you will not believe him on Earth you will not believe if God himself should come from Heaven and speak unto you 23. So that there is a necessity that Men should believe the Prophet only These Things are common Practices with the Kings of the Earth Would a King be well pleased with that Man that rejects his Embassador For doth not an Embassador stand in the King's place and what he doth the King doth c. 24. Why should you that are Men think it strange to mind the Prophet only Were not all those People blessed that minded the Prophets only as Moses and Aaron Elijah and Elisha and those that did not mind the Prophets only were they not cursed 25. So likewise whoever mindeth the Prophet now alive only shall have true Peace with God and whoever doth not shall never have true Peace with God nor perfect Peace in his own Soul for this is God's way and that Honour he hath put upon Prophets for all their Sufferings therefore it is said How beautiful are the Feet of such as bring glad Tideings of Peace and Salvation And whoever receiveth a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's Reward Which Reward is no less than the Blessing of everlasting Life and if so sure such a Prophet ought to be Received while on Earth to be minded only seeing that he that receives him receives God and in this Sence People ought to mind the Prophet only and no other ways 26. And as to the Third Assertion my Answer is this I say it is impossible for any Man or Woman to have true Peace except they do pin their Faith upon the Prophet's Sleeve Why why because the Prophet represents the place of God nay God himself and he that doth believe a Prophet's Report he believeth in God for such a one resteth his Soul only upon the Prophet's Words Now if a Prophets Word 's be Truth then a Man that believes rests his Soul upon the Truth and this is seting the Seal that he is true 27. And so it may be said a Man pins his Faith upon the Prophet's Sleeve that if he be true my Faith is true if he be false my Faith is false also and if he be a false Prophet then he shall be damn'd and he that believes him will be damn'd also 28. For if a Man be saved by pining his Faith upon a true Prophet's Sleeve so by pining his Faith upon a false Prophet a Man is damn'd this must and is ventured by some For this I say there is no Man upon Earth that professes the Christian Religion but he hath either a true Faith or a false Faith and he pins his Faith upon either a true Minister or a false Minister's Sleeve and he loveth one Teacher better than another and here he pins his Faith and hath Peace so long as his Faith holds there 29. But when his Faith faileth the Pin looseneth and falleth quite out so their Faith and that Preacher is parted and that Peace he had in that Faith is lost and another Faith sought after for no Man in the World can live but by a true Faith or a false Faith so that all Men in the World doth or must pin their Faith upon some Mans Sleeve or other or else there can be no Peace at all 30. But when their Faith faileth the Peace
Soliciter to answer to it which wickedness of his cost me three Pounds 4. And my Lawyer went to Treat with him and this Knight was not very well very Cross and said he had turn'd his Business over to his Atturney And his Atturney was so full of Imployment that nothing could be done 5. So I hearing by my Lawyer that he was Sick I desired of God that he might never come down from that Bed of Sickness whereon he lay and in a few Days after it came to pass that he Dyed 6. So our Law Suite was ended I had been a quarter of a Year in Prison then now I knew this Man was the Seed of the Serpent a Devil and will be Damn'd to all Eternity 7. After this there was another great Enemy his Name was Garret he was one of those that broke open my House and Stole my Books and was a Witness against me in the Court He brought the Books to the Court for the Common Hang Man to Burn every Day I stood upon the Pillory my Wife Mary gave him the Sentance of Damnation to Eternity and he Dyed Six Weeks after 8. The third Person was Judge Rainsford Chief Judge of England he was an Implacable Enemy to me but in a little time after his Judgment upon me before I was delivered out of Prison he was put down from his Seat of Justice and all his Temporal Power was taken from him by the King and another put in his Place And the King would give no Reason for it but his own will 9. So that his great Power Honour and Glory was departed from him and he had not so much Power as a common Justice of Peace he was in the same Condition as King Saul was the good Spirit of Power of giving Righteous Judgment in Temporal Things according to Law was departed from him and an Evil Spirit of Shame and Disgrace was sent unto him 10. Which Troubled his Soul so that in a little time after he Dyed and went to the same place as King Saul did that did enquire of a Witch that was rejected of God and not of his Prophet Samuel And I am sure he shall be rejected of God even this Rainsford and rejected of me the last True Prophet of the Lord and that he will be Damn'd to all Eternity 11. And he shall Remember in the Resurection that his Damnation is the very same which he called horrible Blasphemy which he Judged me for and said he was sorry the Laws of England were so unprovided to Punish me no worse than they did 12. And as he had no Mercy for me when he was in Power neither have I any Mercy for him and I am sure God will have no Mercy for him but hath provided a Law to Punish him for his Envy against me who did him no wrong 13. And his Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which God hath said and made it a Law never to be altered that shall never be forgiven in this World or in the World to come This is the Law that God hath provided for us the Two last Prophets and Witnessess of the Spirit to Judge by so that I know the hottest of Hell Fire will be his Portion and Reward for his Sin against the Holy Ghost to Eternity 14. The Fourth great Enemy to me was Sr. Thomas Davis then Lord Mayor he being a Stationer himself he was Confedrate with the whole Company of Stationers and Booksellers and Jury To Fight against the Lord and his Chosen Prophet and Witness of the Spirit which did Incense the Court and Jury that I might Antidate that Book 13 Years ago and yet Publish it this August even against his own Conscience 15. Wherein he shewed himself of that wicked reprobate Seed of the Serpent a Son of the Devil and I certainly know him to be a Devil and that he will be Damn'd to all Eternity 16. And about two Years and a half after he Judged me he Dyed and passed through this first Death which is Natural into the second Death which is Spiritual and Eternal 17. These great Enemies I have lived to see them cut off from the Land of the Living with many others more Inferiour Devils which were my Enemies have I seen cut off by Death and some to Poverty 18. There is one more that is yet alive that I desire of God to have Executed some vissible Vengeance at my Tryal his Name was Jefferies Recorder of London He was the Man that sate in the Judgment Seat and gave Sentance against me He used several Scurrilous and Disdainful Expressions in the Sentance he gave upon me 19. He was a Man whose Voice was very lou'd but he is one of the worst of Devils in Nature for he is not only an Enemy to God and all Righteous Men but an Enemy to all Moral Justice and Equity 20. For if a Mans Cause be never so just except he be Imploy'd in it he will be sure to baffel and make quabbles and wrangle out the justest Cause that is and will make that which is unjust it self to be right by Law were it not for more juster Judges that have a more just Conscience then he hath else the Innocent would always loose his just right if he be against him 23. But that which I have against him is for his Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that sent me and his wicked Malice and Envy against me when he sate in Judgment against me That he said he was sorry the Laws of England were so unprovided to Punish Crimes of this Nature he was sorry the Laws could not Impower him to give Sentance of Death upon me This I know was the Desire of his Heart 22. And as he was sorry the Laws of England were so unprovided to Punish me so in like manner am I glad that the Laws of Heaven is always provided to Punish him with Eternal Torments which is a Living Death and a Dying Life it is well for me and all the Elect that Gods Laws are always provided to give Sentance of Eternal Damnation upon all such dispising persecuting Blaspheming Devils as this Jefferies 23. I knew he was a Reprobate and appointed of God to be Damn'd before But this Tryal of mine hath given Testimony to me and all that truely believe me that he is an absolute Devil in Flesh and his Sin doth cry to Heaven for Vengeance 24. And look what measure he would have measured unto me in that he would have slain my Innocent Blood unto Death the same measure shall be measured to him again because the Laws of Heaven are always provided and hath Impowered me to give Sentance and Judgment upon him for I know by Revelation of the Spirit of God that he is Recorded in the Tables of Heaven for a Reprobate Devil and he shall be Recorded here on Earth to the end of the World for a Damn'd Devil 25. For that Body of his which is now his Heaven which Cloathed it self