to see you before I go hence and be seen no more; but if it should be so, that you could not see me here in this life in the state of mortality, you shall be sure to see me in the state of immortality, when this vile body shall be made like unto our God's glorious body, then shall I be worth the seeing, and thrice happy will you and all those be that hath truly believed our report, in this life, in that you shall be made capable to see me and our God face to face, in that kingdom of eternal glory; these things will come to pass in their time, which will be finished in the resurrection; which will not seem a quarter of an hour's time between the death of your soul and the resurrection of it to eternal life and glory; for there is no time to the dead, all time is to this mortal life; and in this regard our state doth far differ from the state of the whole world, because it lieth in ignorance and darkness of their minds, of the knowledge of the true God and the right devil, which is the cause of all men and women's fear of death, they having no faith in the true God, nor knowledge what the right devil is; this is that, that causeth the fear of death and hell; for death and hell join hand in hand together against the soul of man, which hath not the shield of faith in him of the true God, and in this Commission of the Spirit, to keep off the fiery darts of the devil, off his heart in his life and at his death. And as for your desire of my advice, whether it would be more peaceable for you to live in England than there; as to that, I do know that it would be more safe and peaceable living in England than where you are; could you leave your concerns there where you now are without any extraordinary great loss and ruin of your estate, it would be far more safe and security of your lives here in England, than there will be where you are; now for this I am well persuaded, that England is the safest place for peaceable and quiet people to live in, that is in the whole world; besides, notwithstanding, it is bad enough in conscience, and wicked enough, yet the most righteous G place in the world at this day; neither will there, nor can be such a thing acted here in England, as you fear will be acted there where you be now; therefore, as I said before, if you can without too much undoing yourself in your estates, it will be safer for your lives to live in England-you must venture something—your lives are better than lands, and your bodies are better than raiment. This is all the advice I can give you in this matter; so I shall take leave, only present my love and respects with my wife's love unto yourself and to your husband. I rest and remain, Your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, June 29th, 1686. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Elizabeth Farmer, bearing date from London, June 29th, 1686. Loving and kind friend, Elizabeth Farmer, tho' to me unknown THIS is to certify you, that I received your kind token by the hands of Mrs. Stratton. I perceive by her, that you are one of this faith, and that you are Mary Gamble's sister, and daughter to Colonel Robert Phaire. I knew your father very well, and your mother-in-law, and your sister Gamble by letter, but I never saw her in my person life but I perceive you are one that doth own and believe the same doctrine and commission of the Spirit as your father and mother-in-law, and your sister doth, else why should you send a token of your love to me, which is evident you have a love to the same truth as those aforesaid named; yet because I received no line from you concerning your faith. I shall take leave at present, only my love, and my wife's love and respects remembered unto you, shall take leave, rest and remain your friend in the true faith of a personal God, the man Christ in glory. Your friend in the eternal truth, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. London, June 29th, 1686. A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mary Wakeham, dated June 29th, 1686. Dear friend, though unknown, Mary Wakeham, THIS is to certify you that I received your letter with your kind token of your love, by the hand of our friend Mrs. Stratton; and as you say, I never did hear of your name before, but I perceive you have heard of my name to your unspeakable joy and comfort. I perceive, by your few lines, that your understanding is greatly enlightened, in that you have faith in the true God, our blessed Redeemer, and Lord Jesus Christ, and that you have received us his messengers in the love of our doctrine, which we received commission from God to declare also you have received me in your heart as a messenger sent of God, though you never saw me nor I you, but the sound of this doctrine and Commission of the Spirit hath gone through many parts of the world, and here and there one hath ears to hear the sound, and eyes to see the truth of it; so that in your receiving of me as a messenger sent of God, you shall and do receive him that sent me, and it will be your eternal happiness and your good lot that you did receive me as a messenger of God to direct you in the way of truth; indeed the number is but few, even like the gleaning of the field of this world; the world carryeth cart loads of sheaves into their barn, that is into their heaven, because they have a multitude of messengers and teachers to drive people to heaven whether they will or no; but God's Messengers are sent but one at a time; if he should send two at a time the world cannot bear one, much less two; so that God's messengers are glad to gather a sheaf or two in one land, and three or four in another land in comparison, so that God's barn or heaven is very empty; there is room enough for you and such as you are being one of that scattered flock, you being numbered amongst God's elect in that you have believed his prophet's report. So resteth your friend in the true faith, LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. My love and my wife's love remembered unto you though unknown. London, June 29th, 1686. A Copy of a Letter, written by the Prophet Lodowicke Muggleton to Mrs. Ann Delamain, the widow of Mr. Alexander Delamain, senior, bearing date from London, December 26th, 1687. Beginning as followeth, Dear friend in the truth, Ann Delamain, THIS is to give you an account of our proceedings, and what we have done this last long term, in my wife's kinsman, Thomas Martin, concerning his being heir at law to that house and lands which his mother bought for her and her heirs for ever, in the days of her widowhood; I knowing that nothing would be done with his father-in-law by fair means, but by law, therefore I sent him first to see if he could get the deeds how his mother bought this house and lands; so his father-in-law let Thomas Martin, his son-in-law have the key of the chest, where was nine pair of sheets and other linen, and all the writings with it; so Thomas Martin, being a good scholar both in writing and reading English, he took out of the chest those writings which concerned his house and lands, and locked the chest again, and gave his father-in-law the key again; for no man could give the young man any advice until we had seen the deeds; and after we had the writings he advised with an attorney at law, and his advice was at first, to have a writ of ejectment upon the tenant out of possession, except the tenant would own him to be his landlord, and he would give the tenant a bond under his hand to bear him harmless; which thing was done by this means, his father-in-law was turned out of possession of the house and lands; the next advice was given, to get a letter of administration upon the chest of linen and other things, and upon fourteen pounds rent, and upon two bonds of eight pounds which was unpaid to his father-in-law, which is twenty and two pounds; the third advice was, for him to have a writ to arest his father-in-law for all the rent which he hath received for this house and land this eight years, which is now in suit of law, and the next term they do proceed. I shall say no more at present, but do hope I shall see you ere long at your own house, where I shall give you a full account of this matter; therefore I shall only remember my dear love with my wife's love to yourself in particular, and to Mr. Whitehead and his wife, and Priscilla and Mary his two daughters, and all the rest of our friends in the faith with you. I take leave and rest, Your friend in the eternal truth, Dec. 26th, 1687. LODOWICKE MUGGLETON. |