TO Trace this impious Impostor from his Original, who ever takes pains but to go into Cloak Lane, will there be informed by the Generallity of the Inhabitants, that this Lodowick Muggleton was at first no other than a factious Journiman-Taylor, whose Ex­travagances being too large for the compitent allowance of about 10 s. p. week, began in the year 1651. to consult with one John Reeve (a brother both in Trade and necessi­ty) how they might betake them to some more profitable imployment, whose lurded Incomes might more kindly in­dulge their Lukury; to this end they made some small in­spection and progress into all sorts of Heresies (as he has since confest to J. C. and others) but finding those Chair [...] already taken up, they resolv'd to be beholding to no body, but to contract such a competent measure of im­pudence and impiety, as should inable them to stifle all the oppositions of Religion, on Conscience, and set up for themselves. And that which gave them no small incou­ragement hereunto was the wonderful success and almost infinite Riches, two precedent impostors John Ro [...]bins and Joh▪ Tauny, had lately gained by the same damnable practice. The prosperity of these two rendred the private conditions of Reeve and Muggleton more unsufferable; so that the former being the more impudent, and having with some curiosity perused the Revelations of St. John, and found to his extreem sorrow that the Holy Ghost had never so much as dreampt of him throughout the [Page 2] whole Book, he resolves by the help of a feigned Enthu­siasm or pretended Revelation, to force in the minds of Listening Ignorants, whose Gaping curiosity lay always open for the reception of any Novelty, a certain belief of a strange inspiration, and Comission then delivered unto him, whereby (for sooth) he not only pretends a Soveraignty o­ver Mankind, but assumes a power to pass (upon the least contradiction of his wicked principles) a sentence of e­verlasting Condemnation, even upon the blessed Angels themselves: as is affirm'd he hath authority to do, in a book of Muggletons, called the Quakers Neck broke [...] pag. 20.

To exact this necessary Credulity from his Gazing ad­mirers, he calls one Evening of Muggleton to go with him to the Tavern, from whence after they had Gorged thei [...] Guts with an excess of Wine, and Victuals, they resolved forthwith to go Chew the Cud both of their discours [...] and Viends upon their Pillows, whereon Reeve had no [...] long laid his shallow skul, but whether caus'd by fume [...] arising from an undisgested Supper, or the important pre [...] sures of his designed greatness, I know not, but up he gets runs to Muggleton, tells him as Muggleton does us in his nonsensical interpretation of the 11. chap. of the Revelation pag. 158. That Godspake in the night unto him, and told hi [...] that he had given him more understanding in the Scriptures th [...] all other men in the World. That he had put the two edge [...] sword in his mouth, and in the next words following, and have Chosen thee Lodowick Muggleton to be thy mouth [...] That I have given you power both to bless and curse, and whos [...] ever either of you shall bless or curse, it shall be in the power of [...] Spirit nor Angel, No nor as Mugleton says in page 4 [...] in the Almighties himself to revoke from eternal Damnation.

This falacy being blown about by some of the [...] graceless Adherents, the greedy Vulgarity mistak [...] [Page 3] it for a Verity, and to shew their obedience, as well as Credulity, relinquish their former principles as eroni­ous, to list themselves under the destructive Banners of of his forgeries and impostures.

The promising superficies of this black design at first seem'd to recompence the paines of these spiritual Engineers with a favourable progression, but Heaven who could no longer forbear to punish their impieties, sufficiently testified its displeasure in Beckoning Reeve to give an account in the other World of those Dam­nable principles, wherewith he had tainted the minds, if not Ruin'd the Souls of divers in this; which one would have thought might have put a stop at least to the proceedings of this Lodowick Muggleton, who now double Gilded with Brass, pretended also to have had left him by Reeve a double portion, both of spirit, power, and commission; inlarging his Authortiy even beyond the prerogative of any deceased Saint, Prophet, or Apostle, as will by a Letter he sent R. Fransworth, and the said Book of his, entitled the Quakers Neck-broken, most obviously appear. In the Letter page 43. he writes thus; speaking of the power he pretends God has given him to bless, curse, &c. ‘Neither (says he) will God give this power to any after me, neither can any man come to the assurance of the favour of God now in these days but in believing that God gave this power to John Reeve and my self. For there is no coming to know God or see God, but by the faith in this commission of the spirit, for I having the Keys of Heaven and Hell, none can get into Heaven unless the witness of this spirit doth open the Gate.’ Again [Page 4] in his Quakers Neck-broken, page. 20. He says, ‘Nei­ther doth any man know the Scriptures, neither can any man interpret them truly but my self,’ and in the same page he goes on. ‘God hath put the two edged sword into my mouth, that whosoever I pronounce cursed, is cursed to Eternity. For I do not only say let him be accursed, but I have power to curse men or Angels to Eternity.’ And in Page 28. Speaking of his spiritual knowledg, how he has resolved all sorts of questions in Divinity, these are his words.

Nay, some have gone so far as to ask who made God, and I have given answer to that also. Again in his letter to S. H. and W. S. who in a former letter condemned him for Cursing, to which Muggleton answers, page 17. 4s. for my mouth being full of cursing, that is my commission. Again page. 18. ‘Full of his Cursing I confess my mouth is, and I do rejoice in it too, I know that God is well pleased in the damnation of those I have cursed, and I am wonderous well sa­tisfied in giving Judgment upon them acccording to the Te [...]t of my condition.’ In fine Reader, I am a weary, and it makes my hair stand an end to Rake thus in the Naucious Dunghil of his horrid Blasphemies▪ his whole Volume is nothing but a promiscuous composition of He­resie, Delusion, irreligion and Blasphemy: Himself a person who for this 20 years and upwards has shaken hands with Morality Discretion, and Pitty, who for that inconsider­able Pelf, Honor and respect, he dayly receives from the hands of his poor deluded, and without sudden conver­sion, I fear miserable Disciples, willingly surrenders his interest in Heaven, and as if he had too advantagious an exchange, throws the wretched Souls of his friends and acquaintance into the Bargain.

I would earnestly desire the Reader if he be not yet esta­blished in opinion, to endeavour to seek a settlement there­in, first by his prayers to almighty God to that purpose, and [Page 5] after by the healing advice of some learned Divine, from whom he will certainly find more sollid satisfaction than he can ever expect from these Quacks and Empricks in Di­vinity; who handle the soul, as others do their body, not so much for the patients good, as their own Interest. Who if they can make aseasonable approach to a Death bed, & there by a pretended commission wheedle the departing Disciple into a belief that they have received the Keys of Heaven; Can turn who they will into everlasting Joys, and hurry who they please into eternal Blis [...]; if by the charm­ing Rhetoricks of a Gray head, comely Visage, demure Countenance, and plausible tongue, he can but once perswade them to fall out with the World, and sur­render these temporial blessings, in hopes of those spi­ritual ones (of which these sort of men make such large promises) there is none of them but will gladly part with, all their pretended Keys of Heaven, for one real one which unloks to a hundred a year upon Earth, or that would scruple to give a man a note of their hands for the securing his eternal bliss, provided the other would requite him with a considerabled Lease, to bestow among his sanctified children.

Whether Muggleton and his Brethren have▪ ever re­ceived any of these soul feeling blessings, I leave it to his and their consciences, and did I know it to be true I should scarcely put my self to the charges of a Tear to bemoan the cheat, for indeed, who can seriously pitty those persons who having been Educated in the wholsome principles of the Church of England, when he shall see them like Bastards and not Sons, forsake those Teats whereout they often have, and still might, suck such nourishing milk; when he beholds them runing after a nonsensical Impostor, frought up with no­thing [Page 6] but interest and Impudence; a kid-napper of Souls, who would sell them for less mony to the Devil, than the other do Children to Barbados; a fellow who if a man can find any connextion in his writings; it runs di­rectly Diamiter to those of the Holy Scriptures, a wretch so arragant, that he dares to pretend a greater power than ever was delivered to any of the Prophets or Apostles, that denies both the real existance and absolute, and by all undoubted ubiquity of his Creator, pag. 34. pag. 23. That Nulls the Vallidity of several Texts of Scripture, and particularly denies Solomon to be endued with the Spirit of God, when he writ the Book of Proverbs. And in short, is so rediculous both in Di­vinity and Philosophy, as to define God to be a corpo­real Essence exactly in the shape of man, that his influ­ence is confin'd within the narrow circuit of the upper Heavens only. And lastly which is enough to give any in­telligible Reader a surfeit both of him and his Doctrine, he affirms his writings are in themselves more excellent, and ought to be by all men more respected and regarded than the Holy Scriptures.

The said Notorious Blasphemer being of late taken notice of by authority, has been prosecuted in the Eccle­siastical Court, and also committed to New-Gate, but after some days imprisonment, got bail for his Appear­ance at the Sessions in the Old-Bayly, 14 th. Decem. and gave fresh security, and we doubt not but will short­ly be brought to Condigne punishment according to his demerits.