weighed it in my Mind and was loath to forsake it 16. Then I consider'd my Soul was of more value and what would it avail me to be rich in this World for a Moment and to loose my Soul for I was extreamly fearful of eternal Damnation thinking my Soul might go into Hell Fire without a Body as all People did at that time 17. And after much strugling in my Mind I came to this resolution in my self that rather then I would loose my Soul or be damned to Eternity I would loose the Maid And that way that would have made me Rich and that I would be zealous of the Law of God as afterwards I was 18. Here the two Seeds of Faith and Reason did work in me but I knew them not by Name nor Nature at that time nor many Years after 19. But as I did fear it came to pass for the Maids Mother seeing my Mind so changed and so zealous of the Laws of the Scriptures and that I would not keep that way as I thought to do before 20. She would not let her Daughter have me to her Husband so the Maid was perswaded by her Mother 21. And my Zeal to save my Soul perswaded my Mind to let her go so we parted 22. Thus I forsook the World and a Wife which I lov'd in the days of my ignorance for zeal to the Law of God which I thought to be Truth and the true way and so it was 23. But I did not know it till many years after but the Lord God of Truth had respect unto my Person and Zeal at that time and prevented me from falling into that Snare of being rich in this World CAP. V. The Prophet shews his Care his Fear and Zeal in the Law of God and of the working of his Thoughts and heighth of the Puritan Religion 1. SO after I had parted with the Maid and that way that did offend my Conscience I was resolved to live so upright to the Law of God and so just between Man and Man that I thought in time I might procure favour with God and to attain assurance of my Salvation 2. For I was fully possest that there was really Salvation to be attained unto by my Righteousness and that there was a real Damnation to all those that were unrighteous or did not demean themselves so strictly as I did 3. For I was exceeding fearful of Hell and eternal Damnation The very Thoughts of it made my Spirit many times fail within me 4. But by Prayer and my Righteous Practices I did many times recover some Hope and Peace again 5. All this while I did suppose my Soul might go into Hell without a Body and that Millions of Souls were in Hell-Fire without Bodies and that the Devil being a Bodily Spirit did torment those Souls that came there and that the Devil had liberty to come out of Hell to Tempt People here on Earth and go there again but no Soul that he had gotten there could come out of Hell more 6. These things wrought in my Mind exceeding great Fear and stir'd me up to a more exceeding Righteousness of Life thinking thereby that my Righteous Life would have cast out those tormenting Fears but it did not 7. Yet notwithstanding I did continue in my Zeal and was earnest in the Puritant Religion and Practice neither did I know how to find Rest any where else neither did I hear any Preach in those Days but the Puritan Ministers whose Hair was cut short 8. For if a Man with long Hair had gone into the Pulpit to preach I would have gone out of the Church again tho he might preach better than the other 9. But we Puritans being Pharisaically minded were zealous of outward Appearance and of outward Behaviour for we minded that more than their Doctrin 10. For we took it for granted that God was a Spirit without a Body and that Christ Jesus his Son had a Body in form like Man and that he did mediate to God his Father who was a Spirit without a Body and that for Christ's sake this Spirit without a Body did hear us and speak Peace unto us 11. Also I believed that the Devil was a Spirit without a Body and could assend out of Hell when God did give him leave and sugest evil Thoughts of Lust Theft Murther and Blasphemy against God not thinking that these Thoughts and Motions did arise out of Man's own Heart but from a Divel a Spirit without a Body without Man 12. Also I thought those Souls which God did Save were carried up to Heaven without Bodies and should be with God who was a Spirit without a Body and that we should see Christ Jesus in Heaven with his Body with our Spirits that were Saved without Bodies till the Resurrection and then Body and Soul should be United together again 13. Also we did believe that the wicked Spirits should be cast into Hell Fire without Bodies where the Devil and his Angels being Spirits without Bodies should Torment the Souls of the Wicked till the Day of Resurrection and then those Wicked Souls should be United to their Bodies again and be Tormented Body and Soul together with the Devil and his Angels who were Spirits without Bodies in Hell Fire for ever and ever 14. And we did believe that the Angels of God were Ministring Spirits without Bodies as God was a Spirit without a Body so were they and could minister Comforts unto Men without Bodies 15. And we did believe our own Souls to be Immortal and could not Die but did subsist the good Spirits with God in Heaven without Bodies and the wicked Souls did subsist in Hell without Bodies 16. These were some of the Fundamental Principles of Faith and Religion we Zealous Puritans did believe and practice and there is no better Faith in the World to this day in the generality of Professors of Religion 17. These Things was I very well versed in and I grew in great Experience and Knowledge in the Letter of the Scriptures and had a good Gift of Prayer and was very strong in Disputes because my Mind was extreamly perplexed with the fear of Hell notwithstanding my exact life to the Letter of the Law 18. But the fear of Hell wrought in me much Experience so that I did exceed several other Men in that Knowledge which was in those days and tho' I was judged a very godly knowing-Man and a happy Man by others yet I could not judge so of my self but the fear of Hell was oft rising up in me 19. For I never Conceited well of my own Knowledge but thought the Knowledge of other Men did far exceed me because they seemed to be better satisfied in their Minds than I was 20. Yet I thought in my self that in time by my Prayers and Righteousness and exact Walking and hearing of Preaching that I might heal that Wound in my Soul which was made and I knew not for what 21. For I
place in the Minories London that several Ranters and Astrologers did come to talk with us And one Astrologer being more knowing in that Art than the rest would fain himself to be humble and desirous to be saved and would endeavour to get the Blessing of John Reeve 17. The Mans name was James Barker he was a Gun-Smith by Trade but very skillful in the art of Astrology There were many more People talking with John Reeve at that time 18. So this James Barker came near to him and desired him to tell him what it was that God spake unto him three Mornings together For said he I have heard much of you by others but now he was glad he had that opertunity to speak with him himself 19. So John Reeve related to him all the words God spake And when this Barker had heard it he said He did verily believe it was the Voice of God that spake unto him And further said that he did desire him to give him the Blessing 20. John Reeve answered and said If thou dost truly believe it was the Voice of God that gave me this Power He said he did believe it Whereupon John Reeve did pronounce him one of the blessed of the Lord both in Soul and Body to eternity 21. Immediately after he had got the Blessing he departed from him into another Chamber and said unto some of the Company I have got the Blessing of John Reeve but if any of you will but lay a quart of Sack with me I will go to John Reeve again and call him a false Prophet and say it was the Devil that spake to him three Mornings together and see if he will curse me again 22. There were several Men that heard him said unto him That he dar'd not do it He said But he would if any one of them would lay with him 23. So one Captain Clark a Friend of ours was afraid to lay with him without my concent so he came to me which sat at a distance from John Reeve and knew nothing of it and whispered me in the Ear telling me what Barker had said then said I Do you lay a quart of Sack with him to prove him 24. And when Barker saw that he would lay with him indeed he began to repent and was loath to stand to his word But the Company seeing him begin to flinch they scoffed and geer'd him and said We thought you durst as well he hang'd as do it 25. Yet rather than he would be geer'd for not performing his Words and loosing a quart of Sack besides He said he would do it 26. So he with the Company came towards John Reeve And Barker came with his Hat off and put it under his Arm saying these Words mr Reeve you have declared me one of the Blessed of the Lord both in Soul and Body to eternity But said he I do verily believe that you are a false Prophet and that it was the Devil that spake unto you three Mornings together that gave you that Power to bless and curse Men to eternity These were all the Words he spake 27. So I came to him and said Barker Thou hast acted the part of a Hipocrite both with God and with Man and with thy own Soul 28. Thou lyedst against thy own Heart when thou saidst to John Reeve thou didst believe it was the Voice of God that spake to him and that he had Power to give a Blessing to whoever beleived whereupon thou didst ask him to bless thee He said If thou dost truly beleive what I have said thou replyedst Thou didst beleive and said else why should I ask a Blessing of you 29. Whereupon he gave this Blessing both of Soul and Body to eternity And this I say though thou out of thy Dissemulation and Hipocricy of thy Heart hath got the Blessing of John Reeve so that he cannot curse thee again 30. But I gave not my Consent unto it Therefore for this thy Hipocricy of thy Heart I do pronounce thee Cursed and Damn'd both in Soul and Body from the Presence of God elect Men and Angels to eternity 31. And not only so But thou art cursed in thy Estate in this World For Sins of this nature are to be punished with a double Curse 32. He was exceeding wrath and angry at me more for cursing his Estate than for his eternal Damnation he was so mad at that So that he knew not whether he had best fight me or take the Law of me as a Witch if he did not prosper 33. But my Words and Curse came to pass upon him even in this Life as many can witness even a poor miserable beggarly Fellow 34. Notwithstanding he was as cunning a subtil Serpent as most Men in the World But at last a Lawyer which he had cheated followed the Law so close upon him that he seaised upon all his Goods and took them away and put him into Prison besides and there he lay some years and dyed there miserably poor Which was the last End of him 35. Thus I saw the Ephects of that Curse upon him even in this Life and in the Life to come I am sure he shall indure those eternal Torments for that Act of Hipocrisy CHAP. VI. What the Ranters God was And how them and their God was damn'd by this Commission And of the Resolution of Three of the most desperatest to Curse the Prophet Reeve and Mugleton's God 1. AFter this it came to pass at another Meeting of the Ranters in Aldersgate-street London 2. There was many Ranters that heard what was done by James Barker so they consulted among themselves why they might not damn us as we did them 3. Now those that were to damn us were three of the most desperatest atheistical Ranters that had ever been in our Company as yet 4. And they thought nothing too hard for them but two of those Ranters which had been often in our Company and had seen the Passages that passed with and upon those we had condemned That their God they worshiped was damn'd with them for they had no other God but a Spirit without a Body which they said was the Life of every thing 5. So that the Life of a Dog Cat Toad or any venomous Beast was the Life of God Nay that God was in a Table Chair or Stool 6. This was the Ranters God and they thought there was no better God at all 7. This God did we damn with their Persons these two Men that had seen many condemn'd by us The one his Name was Proudlove a notable Ranter the other his Name was Remington 8. So this Proudlove he consulted with those three desperate Men which knew nothing of us So they asked him what they must do he said this you must do 9. You must curse them and their God and perhaps you may bring down their Power 10. They said they were willing to do that and that was but a small matter to curse them and their God
Slanders and Judgments threatned against me I did not matter For this I know the Quakers do beleive that Loe and Cole's Souls is not dead but slipt out of their Bodies and gon you know not where and into a Power you know not what 10. But I said their Souls is where you laid their Bodies they both came into this World together they both dispised the Truth together they both Bodies and Souls received Judgment and Condemnation together and both dyed together and were both Soul and Bodies buried together and shall both rise again spiritual dark Bodies and Souls together 11. Every Seed it s own Body that Seed of Reason which was their Life which they thought was the divine Nature of God but it was the Nature of the Devil and Serpent 12. And the Law writen in their Hearts which you Quakers call the Light of Christ or Christ in you which is no other Christ or Light but the Law writen in your Hearts And the Light of the Law which doth accuse and excuse the Conscience of every Man you call the Light of Christ yea Christ himself 13. For this Light of the Law writen in your Hearts is that which doth cause your Thoughts to accuse when you do evil and to excuse when you do well And when God shall raise them again that Seed of Reason shall rise and bring a spiritual dark Body with it And that Law which was writen in their Hearts here in this Life shall quicken again in that new dark spiritual Body 14. And then shall they and you dispisers of a personal God know that your own Souls which you thought was the Life of God but it was the Life of the Devil and that your selves were Devils and that Law writen in your Hearts which you in this Life called the Light of Christ and that was no other God or Christ but this Light within you 15. But when this Law doth quicken again as I said before it will prove the only and alone Devil to torment you to eternity because you made the Light of this Law in your Hearts to be your only God and by this Light of the Law you do fight against the true personal God who created Man in his own Image and Likeness and hath trampled him under your Feet as Dirt. 16. These things may seem strange and as a Riddle unto you and as a thing impossible but with God all things is possible which his own Will moves him unto 17. And this I say as it was possible for God to write the Law in the Angels Natures and by his secret Determination suffer one of these Angels to become very Man and so the Angels Seed and Nature having conjunction with the Seed and Nature of Eve which was of Adams Nature and so by Generation the Law comes to be writen in every Man's Heart in that ever Man and Woman that is born into this World is partaker of the Angel's Nature of Reason and so comes to have this Law writen in every Man's Heart 18. Man finds it there accusing of him but knows not how it came writen there 19. So it is as strange for you Quakers to beleive that God will raise your Souls again that were dead how they should quicken out of Death by the Power of that God that made all Souls to live at the first In as much as he made all things by the power of his word in the Beginning 20. So by the same power of his word he shall quicken the Souls of Men and Women again out of Death to Life again at the last day and the Law that was writen in them shall quicken also and be alive again in you to torment you to eternity 21. For the Law and your Souls shall never part one from the other for as the Law is secretly writen in your Hearts but originally in the Reprobate So by Gods secret Decree and Power he will revive that Law again in that Reprobate Seed of Reason as in Thomas Loe Josiah Cole George Whitehead William Pen and many of you Speakers of the Quakers and others of your Bretheren who are under the Judgment and Sentance of this Commission of the Spirit You shall find my words to be true upon you and over you to eternity neither shall you be delivered from it 22. For if I had but any thought of Compassion towards you in my Mind it was answered me That there is a necessity that there should be Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent which hardened my Heart against all Dispisers of a personal God in the form of Man Lodowick Muggleton 23. After this in the same year came another thundering Letter from a Lyon like Quaker being a learned Man brought up at the University his Name is William Pen Here is the Copy of it verbatim LOdowick Muggleton having had a deep and serious Sence of thy insulting Spirt over the Death of that valiant and painful Servant of the most high God Josiah Cole as if it were the ephect of thy solely Curse who alas for these Twelve Years hath in these Nations and Iles abroad in all Straits Difficulties and hard Sufferings been an incessant Labourer for the Lord and so impared his Health that within these Twelve Months or little more have I known him Five times sick and Three even unto Death before he had ever seen thy Face I say being sensible of thy Vaunts And it now being laid upon me Therefore once more I come in the Name and Authority of that dreadful Majesty which fils Heaven and Earth to speak on this wise Boast not thou Enemy of God thou Son of Perdition and Confederate with the unclean croking Spirits reserved under Chains to eternal Darkness for in the everlasting glorious Light thou dispiseth thou art seen Araigned Tryed Condemned and Sentanced for a lying Spirit and false Prophet who having counterfited the Commission and Sceal of that God whom the Heaven cannot contain hath bewitched a few poor silly Souls But their Blood Oh! Muggleton lies at thy Door and the Wrath of the Almighty is kindled against thee and his eternal Power in his Servants the Quakers came whom thou hast past thy envious Curse shall suddenly grind thee to Powder and as formerly so again on the behalf of the God of the Quakers whom I worship I boldly challinge thee with thy Six foot God and all the Host of lucepherian Spirits with all your Commissions Curses and Sentances to touch or hurt me practice your Skill and Power behold I stand in a holy Defiance of all your Enmity and Strength And this know Oh Muggleton with thy God art chained by the Spirit of the Lord and on you I trample in his everlasting Dominion and to the bottomless Pit are you sentanced from whence you came and where the endless Worm shall knaw and torture your imaginary Soul to eternity Written Signed and Seal'd by Commission receiv'd about the First Hour
never had committed any Sin that I knew of that did trouble my Conscience 22. Yet the fear of Hell produced many deep Sighs and Groans even from the bottom of my Heart for fear God had made me a Reprobate before I was Born because he did not answer my Prayers nor speak Peace to my Soul notwithstanding my earnest Desires and Zeal for him I knew not at that time 23. Yet many times I had great Refreshments of Soul and as I thought Communion with God whereby my Hope was increased for a Season but it was quickly lost again so that the Troubles of my Mind did continue still many years 24. Yet at some times I had Elevasions in my Mind and Raptures of Joy that I thought I should never be moved again 25. But a while after all was lost again and Doubting took place in my Soul but since I saw the cause of those Raptures and fears of Hell were both groundless CHAP. VI. After the Prophet hath given a Description of his Marriage of his Wives and of his Children from the Twenty sixth year of his Life to the Thirty Eighth he then shews the alteration of the Religion in the Puritan People and of the Confusion that was amongst them 1. AFter this it came to pass in the Twenty sixth year of my Life I took a Wife that was of my own Mind and Religion She was a Virgin of about 19 years of Age and I had by her Three Daughters in three years and an half 's time 2. The first Daughter I had by her was named Sarah after her Mother's Name She is yet alive and is become the most experimental and knowing'st Women in Spiritual Things of that Sex in London but I shall say no more of her here because I shall have occasion to speak of her hereafter 3. Also my youngest Daughter Elizabeth which I had by my Wife Sarah is now living but the second Daughter died when three years and an half was expired my Wife Sarah died also 4. After this my Children being young I put them forth to Nurse in the Country and lived a single Life and followed my Trade and lived very well 5. Only the Spirit of fear of Hell was still upon me but not so extream as it was the year before 6. After this in the Thirty second year of my Life I took another Virgin to Wife Her Name was Mary she was about nineteen years old and I had by her three Children two Sons and one Daughter the eldest died at three years old and the youngest was a Daughter and she died three days after she was born and my Wife Mary died five days after 7. I had only one Son living by her and I had her to Wife a matter of six years and that Son lived until John Reeve and I was chosen of God and about a year and an half afterwards being about nine years old he died so all the Children of my second Wife died 8. After my Wife Mary died I was then about Thirty eight years old but at the time when I was Married to my Wife Mary about six years before there was Raising of Arms by the Parliament against the King 9. And generally the Puritans were all for the Parliament and most of my Society and Acquaitance in Religion did fall away from that way we did use and declined in Love one towards another and every one got a new Judgment and new Acquaitance and new Discipline 10. Some of them turned to Presbytery and would have Elders and some turned Independants and would not let none work to them but their own People that was in Church Fellowship others fell to be Ranters and some fell to be meer Atheists 11. So that our Puritan People were so divided and scattered in our Religion that I knew not which to take too or which to cleave unto for I was altogether at a loss for all the Zeal we formerly had was quite worn out 12. And to joyn with any of these new Disciplines I could not except I would play the Hypocrite for a Livelihood which my Heart always hated notwithstanding my Kindred by my first Wife Sarah where all Puritans and Zealous in Religion 13. And I had a great stroke of Work of them and they were a great Generation of them and most of them pritty Rich in this World and most of them went into Church Fellowship so that I lost several of them because I could not joyn in Church Fellowship 14. For thought I there is no more satisfaction to be found in Church Fellowship than before for none could serve God and be more Zealous for God and for Righteousness than we were before 15. So that going into Church Fellowship would not satisfie my Soul as to my Salvation no more than before 16. For satisfaction of Mind as to another Life was always my Aim and End that I strove after but could not attain to it as yet 17. So I being at a great loss in my Mind what to do I had lost my Friends and Relations because I could not follow them in Church Fellowship and I had no freedom in my self so to do 18. For I had seen the utmost Perfection and Satisfaction that could be found in that way except I would do it for Loaves but Loaves was never my aim but a real rest in my Mind I always sought after but could find it no where CHAP. VII The Prophet shews his great dissatisfaction and loss in Religion even almost to Dispair yet in the Conclusion resolves to hold his Integrity to do Justly and keep from actual Sin but mind Religion no more but left Happiness and Misery to Gods disposal 1. SO I seeing these Puritans of my Acquaintance they had no Comfort nor Peace of Mind as to a Life to Come that were in Church Fellowship than before nor so much 2. Then I saw several of them that were Zealous before towards God and Righteousness towards Man and now they had left that Zeal and turned Ranters not only in Judgment but in Practice to the Destruction both of Soul and Body 3. When I saw this that neither the Righteous could find Peace in the Days of their Righteousness but were afraid of Hell nor those that turned from their Righteousness to actual Wickedness I thought I must needs go to Hell 4. Yet they said all was well and quiet with them so that I was as David was almost like to have slept and to have said in my Heart sure there is no God But all things comes by Nature because the Righteous could find no Peace in their Righteousness as I could not nor the Wicked were not troubled for their Sins 5. But when I went into the Sanctuary of my Mind I considered the visible things of Nature I could not conceive how this vast Element we see could make it self or how the Sun Moon and Stars could give Being to themselves 6. How could the Beasts of the Field the Fouls
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
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
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