Part 8

This Satan was a Man, and the Spirit of Reason in this Man is that Satan that always resisteth the Wisdom of Faith, which is the Wisdom of God. But this hath been more largely treated upon in our other Writings, so I shall speak no more of that Devil and his Temptations here.

So in Matth. xvi. 23. Christ said unto Peter, Get thee behind me Satan. Here you see Peter is called Satan, because it was the Spirit of Reason in Peter that said, Master, pity thy self: That is, the Thoughts of Peter's Heart they did savour of the fleshly part, that is, those Motions to persuade Christ to save himself from Death, they did arise from the Seed of Reason in Peter, therefore called Satan; for there was no new Spirit that came into Peter at that time to cause him to speak those Words, but those Words proceeded from the Seed of Reason in him, as aforesaid, therefore called Satan.

And wheresoever that Expression is used, as Peter said himself in the Acts, Why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost? that is, why hath the Motions of Reason in thee persuaded thy Heart to tell a Lie unto us, that have the Holy Ghost in us?

So the Reader may clearly see, there is no other Satan to tempt God or Man, but the Motions and Words that proceed from the Seed of Reason in Man and Woman.

So in Luke x. 18. And Christ said unto his Disciples, I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven. This Christ spake, because his Disciples rejoyced that the Devils were subject to them. The Meaning of Christ was, that he saw the Spirit of Reason, that was in the Rulers of the Jews, very high in the Righteousness of the Law of Moses, even as if they were in Heaven, thinking in themselves that none could be more happy and surer of Heaven and Peace with God, then they that kept to the Law of Moses.

Now Christ knowing that this Righteousness of the Jews, should be thrown down by the Righteousness of Faith, which his Apostles should preach, therefore he saw by Faith that the Spirit of Reason in the Rulers of the Jews should fall like Lightning from Heaven; and so it did, and the Disciples of Christ should, by the Doctrine and Righteousness of Faith, tread upon Serpents, and upon their Persecution, and upon their Righteousness of the Law of Moses, and upon all that which did fall like Lightning from Heaven; they should tread upon Satan, that is, upon the very Wisdom of Reason the Devil.

This is the true meaning of Christ, when he beheld Satan fall from Heaven like Lightning, and what Satan is so much spoken of in Scripture. Much more might be said to enlarge this Point, but I have spoken more already then I did intend; but I suppose there is enough written here in short to satisfy those, that can understand by a little what a great deal Means. And also People may know when they speak of Satan what Satan is, and when they speak of the Devil, they may know what the Devil is.

So much concerning the Interpretation of Satan, and the Conclusion of this Epistle, written by

Lodowicke Muggleton.

A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet Lodowicks Muggleton, to Mr. Edward Fewterrill of Chesterfield, bearing Date from London March 29. 1660.

Friend,

I Received your Letter, wherein I perceive you are a Man that hath been led through several Opinions, yet not suffered to joyn with any, but have been made to wait upon Jesus Christ the only God for Satisfaction; and now it hath been his great Love, which he hath loved you, to let you have a Sight of those infinite Truths, written by the Hands of his two Witnesses, and Lawrence Claxton; which Writing of ours, I perceive by your Letter, have given you more Satisfaction than any that ever you read before.

Only this I perceive, that you did and do still much approve of Jacob Bemon's Works; and for this Cause, because you were as I perceive by his Writings, exhorted to resign your Will unto God's Will, and to come unto that happy State, neither to Will or Desire any thing, but to abide in the Will of God, which is Jesus Christ, into which Estate the Lord did twice bring you in some Measure.

Also you say, That it is a hard thing to cast out that Devil that is in us, nor can it be done as we say or think, but by that Resignation and Faith in the true God.

Likewise you say, that you were a great Disputant against all Forms and formal Worship, till the Lord silenced you, and did let you see it was but a vain Thing to wrangle and jangle with the Devil more.

But I shall pass by part of your Letter, and I shall answer you to those things that are of most Concernment.

You say, that there was that Portion of Scripture brought into your Remembrance of his Promise, I will send the Spirit of Truth, which shall guide you into all Truth, and there have you had your rest reposed.

In the last Place I find, that you would have some Answer to some Doubts, concerning that Devil that doth appear to Witches, and suck of their Bodies, and what that is that doth appear to Conjurers, and the Authors of lying Wonders of John Robins; though you do believe there is no Devil but Man, you do believe also that the Soul of Man is mortal, and must needs die, and so cannot appear, though you thought otherwise in your Reason.

You say, Whether is there a Spirit in Man that surviveth and is allured by them, or do they stir up awaking the Power of the first fallen Angel through their devillish Faith, or is these Things from their vain Imaginations. If so, how? if not, what it is, is your Desire to know of me.

To which I shall give you some Answer both to the first of Part your Letter, and also to the latter Part of it.

First you say, that you have been made to wait upon Jesus Christ the only God; for Satisfaction thereof, I would have you to consider, how could you wait and be satisfied in the Belief of such a God which you never knew. For the Letter of the Scriptures did never declare to you, that Jesus Christ was the only God, neither did God commissionate no Prophet nor Apostle for to declare it, though their Declarations was as necessary to be believed in their Time and Place, as this Commission of the Spirit; which Commission of the Spirit hath deeper Mysteries held forth in it, than the other two Commissions had: For God never did give to any Prophets or Apostles, the Knowledge of his own Form or Nature before he became Flesh. If they did know it, they did not reveal it. But he hath given it to his two last Spiritual Witnesses and Prophets, John Reeve's and Lodowicke Muggleton, who were those chosen Witnesses of God, which should have more Understanding of the Mind of God in the Scriptures, than all Men in the World.

Which Knowledge of God's Mind in the Scriptures, doth consist of these six Heads.

First, Of the Form and Nature of God before he became Flesh.

Secondly, Of the Form and Nature of the Devil before he became Flesh.

Thirdly, Of the Place and Nature of Heaven.

Fourthly, Of the Place and Nature of Hell.

Fifthly, Of the Nature and Persons of Angels.

Sixthly, Of the Mortality of the Soul.