صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Here followeth the Copies of feveral LETTERS and EPISTLES, taken from the original Manufcript, for the further Confolation of the Elect.

The Prophet Muggleton's EPISTLE to the Believers of the Commiffion, touching the Rebellion occafoned by the nine Asser

tions.

A

ND now I fhall fpeak a few Words unto him, and the reft of Believers, as followeth :

And because one of the Confpirators in Rebellion hath repented of his Rebellion, and asked Forgiveness before it was too late, and I forgave him his Trefpafs against me, and against God; (namely, Thomas Burton.) He did well to agree with his Adversary while he was in the Way, for the Prophet is an Adversary to all Rebels against God.

And this I would have you to know, though it be now too late, that Obedience is better than Sacrifice; that is, Obedience to the Prophet is better than all the legal Righteousness you have performed between Man and Man all your Days; yet this ought to be done, but not to leave the other undone. And this you may know, that Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft, for Rebellion against the Prophet is Rebellion against God; for when King Saul rebelled against the Prophet Samuel's Words, he rebelled againft God, for it was the Prophet Samuel that gave the King a Command, and it was he that reproved the King for his Difobedience and Rebellion,

B

for

for God never spake to him, nor never gave Judgment upon him, it was the Prophet only. Now ought not King Saul to have minded the Prophet only? But Saul minded God only, as you have done, and rejected the Prophet Samuel; and because he minded God only, in that he thought to please God better by offering up the beft of the Cattle in Sacrifice to God, he thought it was better to mind God than the Prophet's Words: But how did God reject him for disobeying the Prophet? And his Sacrifice was rejected alfo. Now had not Saul better have minded the Prophet only? then would it have been well with him; but he minded God only, and difobeyed the Prophet, and rebelled against his Command. What a woful Effect did fall upon him! and fo it will upon all Rebels against Prophets. Thus it is with Men that think themfelves wifer and more righteous than their Fathers; for whofoever difobeys a true Prophet, difobeys God, and it is accounted fo of God; therefore it is good for Men to mind the Prophet only, and pin their Faith upon the Prophet's Sleeve, elfe there can be no Peace nor Safety, because no Man can come unto God to reafon or difpute with him but by his Prophet only. This hath been the Way God hath walked in all Ages; and now I being the laft Prophet of all, God hath put me in his Place here upon Earth, and hath raised me up as he did that good Man Jofeph, Genefis the laft, the 19th Verfe, who faid unto his Brethren, Fear not, I am in the Place of God; and Verfe 21, Now therefore fear you not, I will nourish you; and be comforted them, and fpake kindly unto them..

So God hath raised me up to be his laft Prophet, and hath fet me in the Place of God, to nourish his People, who have believed his Prophet's Report, with fpiritual and heavenly Knowledge: For true Prophets, true Apoftles, true Minifters, have made Saints in all Ages; fo that, without thefe, no Saints at all; they may be elect Veffels, but not Saints; for no Man or Woman can properly be faid to be a Saint, except they come actually to believe in a true Prophet, true Apostle, or true Minister of Chrift.

And further I fay, that whoever doth not act well, by that Law written in his Heart, and doth not stand in Awe of that,

and

and fear to offend that Law of Confcience, as if God himself did stand by, and take notice of all his Actions; therefore he doth well, because God's Eye is over him, elfe not. I fay, all his well-doing is but Eye-fervice, and refpected of God no more than the cutting off a Dog's Neck. And that Man is in the Depth of Darknefs, who will do nothing that is good, except God doth take notice of him, to reward him for every good Deed he doth; but if he doth Evil, then he defireth God to take no notice of it, but blot it out of his Remembrance, as if God were beholden to Man to do well, when there is a Bleffing in the Deed doing, and a Curse in evil-doing. But this I fay, if there were no God to reward the Good, nor to punish the Evil, yet could not I do any otherwife than I do; for I do well, not because I expect any Reward from God, or refrain from Evil, becaufe God will punish me, or that he doth mind me in it; but I do well to please that Law written in my Heart, fo that I might not be accused by that Law in my Confcience, as God hath placed for his Watch man, to tell me when I do well: So am I juftified by Faith in God, in my own Conscience, and being not condemned by the Law written in my Heart, I have Boldness to the Throne of Grace. Neither do I refrain from Evil for fear of God's Perfon feeing me, and he feeing me will punish me; but I refrain from Evil, because the Law written in my Heart feeth all my Doings, and that Watchman God hath fet there to watch me, will tell God of all my Doings; fo that God need not trouble himself to watch over every Man's Actions him. felf, for he hath placed his Law a Watchman in every Man and Woman, to give notice of all their Doings, whether good or evil.

Thus, in the Original, God taketh notice by his Law, written in every Man's Heart, both of Saint and Devil; and no otherwife doth God mind to take notice of his Saints in particular at all. Not that I do own this Law written in Man's Heart to be the very God, as the Quakers do; but God is a diftinct Person of himself, and diftinct from this Law written in Man's Heart. And in this Senfe, God may be faid to take no notice of his Saints, nor doth not mind them at all.

[blocks in formation]

True Believers are my Brethren and Sifters, and the Prophet hath spoken kindly unto them, and hath nourished their Souls with Bread of Life, as Mofes, he hath fed them with heavenly Manna; alfo the Prophet hath been like John Baptift, a burning shining Light in this last Age, as John Baptift was in his Time; a fhining Light that hath discovered the Darkness in all the World, for it is Light that discovereth Darkness; and hath not the Prophet enlightned the Underftandings of many, that in Light they fee Light? Hath not the Prophet fed them with Bread of Life? He hath given them the Flesh of God to eat, he hath given them Water of Life to drink, even the Blood of God to drink, to fatisfy their thirsty Souls; alfo, he hath brought them to the Know. ledge of the true God, his Form and Nature; he hath brought them to feed upon the Flesh of God, and to drink his Blood by Faith, whereby their Souls have never hungred nor thirsted more after the Forgiveness of Sins or Satisfaction. of Mind as to Things of Eternity; for who hath fed the People with the Knowledge of God, the Knowledge of the right Devil, the Knowledge of Scripture, and all other heavenly Secrets which are hid from all the People in the World, befides? Hath not the Prophet taken the People by the Hand, and pulled them out from the Spirit of Bondage, which kept them under Fear, and hath pulled them out from under the Tafk-mafters of Superftition in Egypt? The Prophet hath led them through the Wilderness of their Minds, and hath brought them into the Paradife of Peace, and hath fhewed them where the Tree of Life ftood in the Midft of the heavenly Canaan above the Stars, and many of them have stretched forth the Hand of Faith, and have taken of the Tree of Life, and eat and live for ever, and fo are fet down at Reft there. And doth not all the People in the World elfe perish for Want of Knowledge, but thofe few who are led and guided by the Prophet? He hath bleffed many of them, and hath led them into the Way of Peace, a ftrait and narrow Way, that few can find; and when they have wanted Comfort of Mind, he hath comforted them; and when they have been weak in Knowledge, he hath strengthned them; and when any of their Brethren have been too ftrong one for another, he would

not

not fuffer the Strong to trample upon the Weak and Feeble,. but would lift him up, and uphold him with his own Knowledge, fo that no People under the Sun live better for the Generality than thofe People who are obedient unto the Prophet, or under him. Hath the Prophet been a Burthen, or oppreffive to any of the Faith, let them fpeak, and he will restore them two-fold; or hath he favoured the Rich, or oppreffed the Poor; nay, hath he not forced the Rich to help the Poor? Nay, the Yoke laid upon the Neck of thefe People by the Prophet is easier and better, both fpiritual and temporal, than the Yoke of any other People whatsoever.

And now I fhall speak unto you in particular, and ask the Reason why you rebelled against me. What Caufe did I give you to rebel? Were you offended at my Words? And because I did bear with many Weakneffes of fome of your Brethren in the Faith, and had Compaffion on them, and would not fuffer them to be fo much oppreffed in Spirit for the Guilt of their own Sins, and judged and condemned by their own Brethren in the fame Faith, because they were of corrupt Natures, fo doth God himself bear with corrupt Natures; the Prophet muft bear with corrupt Natures, as well as with pure uncorrupt Natures, though you cannot, for Prophets are not fure that all uncorrupt Natures will believe them; so that if a Prophet hath not Power to uphold fome corrupt Natures that believe him, to what Purpose then should God fend him? And will you find Fault with the Prophet for being merciful to corrupt-natured Men, whofe Nature is more corrupt than your's? Yet the Prophet hath upheld you these many Years. You may remember when you came acquainted with me first, that there was fome Difference between Claxton and you. Claxton was high in Knowledge at that Time, and yourfelf weak and low in Knowledge at that Time, and his Knowledge and Faith was over you, and above you, and did keep you under him, though his wicked Life had been worfe than your's, yet your legal Righteoufnefs between Man and Man could not have delivered you from his Power, had not the Prophet kept him down; and when you made your Complaint to me Iftrengthned you against him, and upon your Request I bleffed you, and you became in my Favour; and

when

« السابقةمتابعة »