A divine looking-glass, or, The third and last testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ whose personal residence is seated on his throne of eternal glory in another world : being the commission of the spirit, agreeing with, and explaining of the two former commissions of the law and Gospel, differing only in point of worship : set forth for the tryal of all sorts of supposed spiritual lights in the world, until the ever-lasting true Jesus, the onely high and mighty God, pesonally appear in the air with his saints and angels / by John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton ...

CHAP. XXIX.

1 Of the creation of Adam. 2 Why God spake in the plural number in the making of man.

IN the next place I shall treat of the Created purity of the first man and woman that ever were made, that the heirs of immor∣tal Crowns may the more clearer understand my ensuing discourse: in the first and second Chapters of Genesis, it is thus written; fur∣thermore God said, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the foul of the heaven, and over the beasts, and over all the earth, and over every thing that creepeth and moveth on the earth; thus God created the man in his image, in the image of God created he him: he created them male and female. The Lord God also made the man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.

2 My beloved spiritual brethren, I do not question your satisfa∣ction concerning the Holy One of Israel, being but onely one eter∣nal personal Majesty, because not onely the ridiculousness of three persons in the Deity, is so fully discovered already in this Epistle, but because the true ground why the God of glory calleth himself by a threefold title of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is clearly mani∣fested also.

3 Before I write concerning what that image of God in mans creation was, give me leave to reason a little upon those words, let us make man in our own likeness.

4 If thou which art so literally accute or exact, do but soberly minde the first and last words of the three Scripture Texts toge∣ther, thou canst not possibly but be convinced of thy Trinitary error.

5 Concerning those first words, furthermore God said, hath not those sayings relation unto the singular number onely?

6 Moreover, though God spake in the plural number, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; it doth not therefore fol∣low that the Holy One of Israel can possibly consist of three perso∣nal beings in coequal glory, as men vainly imagine.

7 Again, thou which little thinkest that University tongues keeps thee under spiritual darkness, whether was it most proper for the glorious Creator to say, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; or to say, I will make man in my image, according to my likeness?

8 Is not the word us in creation more emphatical, or spiritual order, then the word I in creation?

9 What is thy natural wisdom but rational exactness, whether words bear a good sence, sound, or language, and from thence to imagine the Holy One of Israel to be three personal beings, because he was compell'd to speak words in the plural number, in reference unto the glory of his wisdom or counsel, concerning the creating of man in his image or likeness?

10 Again, as in the foregoing words the creation of man was spoken in the plural number of trinitary expressions, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; so likewise in the fol∣lowing words you may see the plural number converted wholly into the singular number of one divine glorious being, in those sayings; Thus God created the man in his image, in the image of God created he him: he created them male and female.

11 Doth not these trinitary expressions themselves unto all men that have any spiritual light in them, clearly discover the confused darkness of any kinde of personal trinity whatsoever?

12 Can three persons in equal power, wisdom, and glory, possi∣bly be but one God?

13 Is not three in number absolutely three? How then or by what diabolical Logick canst thou make three beings appear to be but one divine essence?

14 Three distinct persons, as beforesaid, cannot possibly be less in number then three Gods, unless two of them in number be re∣moved,

that there may remain but one personal God alone, that none may share with the Holy One of Israel in his infinite wisdom, power and glory: if this be not good sence, let men or Angels re∣prove me with better.

15 I have better thoughts of thee that thou shouldst imagine the Creator to be three persons, united together in one divine bulk or being, and to think that he by his infinite power might disunite his divine Trinity, and send two of them forth for a season unto the sons of men as he saw occasion, and so to return unto the divine essence.

16 I confess, these and many such like gross absurdities concern∣ing the Creator, every man is subject unto, until his understanding be enlightned from on high by the Holy One of Israel himself.

17 Because Millions of people lye under deep darkness in many Nations, concerning the right understanding of the Trinity of the onely true God in unity, through the deceit of antiquity of custom, proceeding from the Orthodox Ministers of the Gospel, so called, therefore I am compell'd to use many words in this most needful point.

18 If through a sober and mock perusal of this Epistle, thou at∣tain to know there is an eternal being of beings, and truly to un∣derstand this glorious Creator to be but one personal Majesty, thou wilt then as clear as the light it self, not onely see the miserable confused darkness of those men that say, there is no God but in mens consciences onely, or that say, there is no God at all but perishing na∣ture: but thou wilt also see all men that are ignorant of this one personal Majesty, which come forth in the name of the Lord, but meet deceived persons, though they speak like Oracles or Angels.

19 Again, because many upright souls for want of clear distin∣ction in them of the invisible God of eternal glories, are subject to continual doubts of being deceived through the variety of pretended appearances in his most Holy name; therefore in the next place I shall write in a comparative way upon those sayings, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.

20 If a mighty earthly Prince have secret thoughts of acting a thing of concernment, in relation to his honor, you know with advice of his privy Counsellers, it is usual for him to say, It is our Royal pleasure to do such a thing, or we think fit so to do; or let us do su••h a thing, or we rejoyce in your welfare as our own, and such like:

21 So likewise when the King of Glory was moved to create a thing of concernment, from his spiritual privy Councel, it was most requisite for him to say, let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

22 Again, if he intendeth to do some ordinary thing by vertue of his Royal pleasure, in reference to his honor, you know not taking advice of his privy Councel, he speaketh in the singular number al∣together; as namely, I will such a thing to be, or let it be so, and such like:

23 So likewise when the King of Glory created things for his honor, that were not of his divine image, or likeness, those creatures being at a distance, and of lower concernment, to him you know he spake altogether in the singular number onely, as if he had not formed them from his unsearchable Councel, as namely, let such a thing be, or let it be so, or the like.

24 Again, if a King for his highest honor from his most eminent Councellors having no heir, is moved to set his Royal stamp upon a man, as to be called by the name of the blood Royal, and to be the next man in the kingdom to the King, you know the thing be∣ing of so near concernment unto him, he thinks he can never speak too much, or home enough in the thing, for the taking upon the spirits of his subjects; therefore he will say, Let us make such a man our heir, or it is our Royal pleasure to make that man our kinsman, and ruler over our whole kingdom, next to our self, and the like:

25 So likewise, as beforesaid, the creating of man being of the highest and nearest concernment unto the King of Glory, that his wonderful wisdom and love in the thing, might operate not onely upon spiritual men, but also in the mighty Angels themselves, the glorious Creator with a fulness of speech from the depth of his invi∣sible Councel said, let us make man in our image, or in our likeness, because until man was made, he had formed nothing in his own like∣ness, but the contrary altogether, as abundantly beforesaid.

26 Again, you that are renewed from on high with the image of Christ, may know, that one chief ground that moved the divine Majesty to say, Let us make man in our image, it was because he did eternally purpose to become a spotless man of flesh, blood, and bone himself:

27 So that the word us had relation unto a twofold condition of that spiritual man the King of Glory himself, therefore they were spoken in the plural number, let us make man in our own image, and such like.

28 Another ground why the divine Majesty said, let us make man in our image, was this, because the glorious Creator himself from eternity was a spiritual person in the likeness of the man Adam.

29 The chiefest ground of all why the divine Majesty said, l••t us make man in our own image, was this, because the infinite Ma∣jesty, and the man Adam. was to be of so near a union both spiritu∣ally and naturally;

30 Therefore the God of eternal Glory was compelled to dis∣robe himself of his infiniteness by transmuting of it into flesh on this earth, that from his divine self he might purchase for elect mankinde in that body of his flesh, personal Crowns of God-like glory in the highest heavens, with himself and his mighty Angels;

31 Heaven descended into earth, that earth might be made ca∣pable to ascend into heaven.

32 God himself became very man, except sin on earth, that very man himself might become the very God in the high heavens, and that elect mankinde, except sin, may be all like God himself in the heavens also in their several divine measures, at the personal ap∣pearing of our Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven, with all his holy Angels.

33 Was not this one end also why the Holy One of Israel spake in the plural number, saying, let us make man in our image, that the learned men of this world should not onely blinde their own eyes, but also become that scarlet whore that sits upon many waters, ma∣king the nations continually drunk with their spiritual witchcraft of trinitary Merchandizing lies, that they may be justly condemned in their own consciences in that day when our Lord Jesus Christ shall say unto them, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know ye not, or I sent you not, ye preached in my name onely for silver and honor a∣mong men, and ye persecuted my Prophets to the death, because they discovered your l••arned deceits unto my people, from your own subtile imaginations you made laws to stop all mens mouths as Blasphemers, He∣reticks, Seducers, Deceivers of the people, or disturbers of the civil peace, and such like: that you onely might usurp lordship over all mens consciences, persons, and estates, that could not bow down to your Idolatrous inventions; you laid snares to entrap all those that you suspected, m••ght impede your vain glorious decrees; you lived in secret lusts and pleasures upon the ruines of my innocent people, and flattered the ignorant, what pains you took in studying after sparitual things for

their souls health: you made use of my holy Name onely as a cloak to hide all your subtilties from the deceived people; you blinded their under∣standings with your Sabbattical Ceremonies of long prayers, and lifting up your eyes and hands towards heaven, as if you had been purity it self, notwithstanding your hearts were full of covetousness, and your fees swift to shed innocent blood; you offered up your bloody fasts and feasts unto me for a sacrifice of acceptation of your doings, as if I were like unto your selves, to be perswaded by goodly words to justifie all your un∣righteousness; you pretended my glory in all your imaginary formalities, but it was your own honor principally you sought from the people, and death unto you to loose it; earthly riches, honor, beauty, unsatiable pleasures, long life, and such like, were your onely joyes; you have had this your desired Paradise already, and my poor people have suffered their hell in your heaven, and now must you suffer your eternal pain and shame, and they must possess everlasting joy and glory.

34 So much at present why the God of Glory spake in the plu∣ral number: in the next place I shall in some measure shew what that image of God in the creating of man doth signifie.