The acts of the witnesses of the spirit in five parts / by Lodowick Mvggleton ..., left by him to be publish'd after's death.

CHAP. III. Of the Birth, Parentage, and Trade; of the two Witnesses, and how the Profits Nature led them sorth to all Sobri∣ety, hateing Drunkeness, and of their inclining to the Princi∣ples of those Call'd Puritans, and of their being perswaded from judging Cases of Concience before they new the truth.

1. BUT before I write of the Acts, I shall give the Reader a little to understand what we were be∣fore God did chuse us two, to be his two last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit.

2. And of some Experince I had, and Working within me before I was Chosen of God, little expecting God would have chosen me for such a great Work.

3. As for John Reeve, he was born in Wiltshire, his Father was Clerk to a Deputy of Ireland, a Gentleman as we call them by his place, but fell to decay.

4. So he put John Reeve Apprentice here at London, to a Taylor by Trade. He was out of his Apprentiship before I came aquainted with him, he was of an Honest, Just Nature, and Harmless.

5. But a Man of no great Natural Witt, or Wis∣dom, no Subtilty, or Pollicy was in him, nor no great store of Religeon he had, but what was Traditional, only of an Innocent Life.

6. I knew him many years before God spake to to him by Voice of Words to the hearing of the Ear, three Mornings together, as is declar'd in the Commission Book, call'd a Trancesendant Spritual Treatise, the first Book he writ.

7. And I Lodwick Muggleton was born in Bishop gate-street, near the Earl of Devonshire's House, at the corner House call'd Walnut-Tree-Yard.

8. My Fathers name was John Muggleton, he was a Smith by Trade, that is a Farrier, or Horse-Doctor, he was in great Respect with the Post-Master in King Jame's time, he had three Children by my Mother, two Sons and one Daughter, I was the youngest and my Mother lov'd me.

9. But after my Mother dy'd, I being but young, my Father took another Wife; so I being young was Expos'd to live with Srangers in the Country, at a distance from all my Kindred▪ I was a Stranger to my Fathers House after my Mother was dead.

10. But it came to pass when I was grown to 15 or 16 Years of age, I was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Apprentice to one John Quick, a Taylor, he made Livery Gowns, and all sorts of Gowns for Men, he made Gowns for several Aldermen, and Livery Men of their Company in London.

11. And he lived in this Walnut-Tree-Yard, and knew my Father and Mother very well; he was a quiet peaceable Man, not crewel to Servants, which liked me very well.

12. For my Nature was always against Cruelty, I could never indure it, neither in my self, nor in others, living peaceably in my Apprentiship.

13. I took my Trade well; and pleased my Master better then any of his other Servants, for they were bad Husbands, and given to Drunkenness, but my Na∣ture was inclin'd to be sober, hating Drunkenness and Lust in the time of my Youth.

14. But when my time of Service was pretty far ex∣pired, I grew to more understanding, and hearing in those days a great talk amongst the vulger People, and especially, amongst Youth, Boys, and young Maids, of a people called Puritans; some of these Puritans came to talk and discourse with my Master, though he was no Religious Man.

15. But I being ignorant, did perceive they pleaded more for Righteousness, and were better versed in the

Scriptures then he was, so that I liked in my self their Discourse upon the Scriptures, and pleaded for a Holy keeping of the Sabbath-day, which my Master did not do, nor I his Servant.

16. But I not knowing my Right Hand from my Left in Religion at that time; yet, methoughts I had a Love for those People call'd Puritans, and could not endure my Companions should speak Evil of them.

17. And when young Boys as I was, and young Maids would speak Evil, and lay many Slanders upon those People call'd Puritans, as if they had been the wickedest People in the World, with many Scoffs and Jears.

18. Yet all this while my Heart did not close with their Reproaches, but rather was inclin'd to love those People, and to think the better of them, thinking in my self, Oh! that I might be so happy as them, yet I knew not what Happiness was, nor what Condem∣nation was, for I knew nothing by my self, why I should be Condemned.

19. But the Seed of God lay hidden in my Heart, which kept me from speaking Evil of things I knew not, even from my Childhood, which many others of my Age did.

20. Like unto those Children that mocked the Pro∣phet Elisha, which two she Bares did tare in pieces; so many of these mockers of Religion, in that my time did come to great Poverty and Destruction in this World, but the God of Truth preserved me, though I knew him not.

21. Also I was smitten with the Plague in that great sickness after King James dyed; it was not extream te∣dious to me, for the sore broke, and I recovered quick∣ly, and hath not had half a days sickness since, not this forty Years and more.

22. I never bestowed Six-pence in Physick in my Life for my self, but what the Kitchen would afford, as Water-gruel, Broth, or such like, and I have had my Health, and hath been as perfect in Nature from all Distempers and Diseases, as any Man in the World ever since.