MY beloved Brethren , you know that all speakings or writings are either natural or spiritual , and that of necessity they proceed from their several heads of divine inspiration , or humane imagination .

2 Moreover 〈◊〉 know also , that a man had need be endued with an extraordinary light to satisfie or silence curious Questions concerning things which are eternal .

3 Dear friends , I John Reeve being a poor Lay-man ( so called ) upon a Declaration that the Most High from the Throne of his Glory , spake unto me in the year 1651. you may be sure since that , the propounding of nice Questions have not been wanting unto me , and my Spiritual Companion Lodowick Muggleton , both from the strong and the weak .

4 Amongst the rest , not many moneths past , a friend of mine being somewhat troubled in minde , was moved to propound these high Queries .

VVhether any creature was formed of purpose for eternal sufferings ?

Or whether it would not have been as advantagious for the Creators glory , to have formed all creatures for eternal happiness , as otherwise ?

Or if any creature was made to be a vessel of wrath , to shew forth the prerogative Royal of its Creator , wherein is that creature blame-worthy of sin or evil , which through a secret decree could not possibly avoid it ?

Or whence came that sin or evil into the spirits of man or angel , if they were pure in their first creation ?

A Gain in the next place , by inspiration from the unerring Spirit , I positively affirm , that the substances of Earth and Water were from all eternity in the Creators presence , uncreated , sensless , dark , dead matter , like unto water and dust , that have no kinde of life , or light , or vertue in them at all .

2 Also I declare from the Holy Spirit , that darkness , death , or devil and hell lay secretly hid in that earth above this perishing Globe , and in the sight of the Creator were eternally naked and bare , both in their root and in their fruit .

3 Again I declare from the true Light of Life Eternal , that that world or kingdom where the Creators glorious person is visible , is a place or throne infinite in length , b●eadth or height , answerable unto an infinite Majesty :

4 Moreover , for your information that are spiritual , from the true God I declare , that in this heavenly City there is no Firmament , Sun , Moon , nor Stars ; so that you may understand that is an infinite open place for Divine personal ascending or descending at pleasure , onely under foot is fixed a spiritual earth , and a chrystal sea .

5 Furthermore , you that are spiritual may know that it stands to very good sense , that an infinite Majesty cannot be confined to a finite world or kingdom as this is , I mean when he possesseth the throne of immortality as at this time , or before he became a body of unspotted flesh .

6 Again , concerning that glorious earth and chrystal sea aforesaid , I would not have you to think that I mean it was eternally so , but after , or in the finishing of the creation of Angels , and variety of other creatures , the infinite vertue of the Creators word produced that chrystal spirituality in them , that both visible as well as invisible , every thing or creature appointed to abide in the presence of the Divine Majesty , might be all glory in their kinde and measure , answerabl● to the unmeasurable variety of unspeakable glory in the Creator himself .

7 My spiritual brethren , you know that it is an opinion of the Learned , that those substances Earth and Water aforesaid , were not eternal ; but they have long imagined that the Creator spake the word , and so they came to be , and after he had given them their being , he formed all things that were made out of them .

8 My beloved brethren , you may know that this must needs be an error , because you know that the word Create , is to make formless dead matter into sensible living forms .

9 Besides this , you know , as for creating of those elements of water or dust , there is no Scripture maketh mention of any such thing , therefore a meer imagination ; but more of this in the 6. Chapter .

10 Again you know , that from eternity the divine nature of the Creators spirit was nothing but immortal fiery glory of life and light : It is written , God is light , and in him there is no darkness at all . and it is written in Gen. 1. And darkness was upon the deep .

11 My Brethren , if the Creator be all life and light , as you know he is , then without controversie the dead earth and dark deep water never proceeded out of his glorious mouth : but if that Scripture should be objected where it is said , I create light , and I create darkness , to that I answer : The mind of the holy Spirit in those words was this : that he created those souls that were naturally dark , and he created these mortal spirits that were full of immortal light : but on the contrary there was not the least meaning in those words or any other throughout the Scriptures , that God created or gave any being or beginning unto dead , dark , sensless earth and water , as aforesaid .

12 Whatever men vainly imagine the Creator to be , if they shall conclude there was nothing eternal but God onely , if they acknowledge the Creator to be some glorious thing which is incomprehensibly infinite , then I would fain le●rn of those wise men , where the glorious Creator was resident , when he gave a being to earth and water ? If they shall say unto me , that he was uncapable to be in any one place because he was every where ; As to that , I cannot understand which way the Creator should be every where , or any any where at all , if he had no place or habitation to abide in , neither finite nor infinite .

13 God being all light , life , joy , and glory in himself from eternity , is it not against all divine or humane light that is not unreasonable , that ever those da●k , dead elements of earth and water , should have their original from his glorious spirits , because their natures are so contrary , that it was impossible that they should proceed from one another : for alas , what is death or darkness ? Is it not through the absence of life or light ? And is not life being overcome by death , absolutely become death and darkness , or utter silence for a moment ?

14 Again , if light and darkness , or life and death meet together , is there any peace or agreement between them , untill life be swallowed up by death , or death be swallowed up into life ?

15 If th s be so , the which no sober man can gainsay , then without controversie earth and water were uncreated substances eternally distinct from the God of glory , because the Scripture saith , and darkness covered the face of the deep .

A Gain , from the true light of life I affirm , that the Angels were the first sensible living beings formed by the Creator .

2 I declare also , that the angelical host were all produced by his word speaking into that dust without or above this visible heavens .

3 Moreover I positively affirm from the same light , that all the Angels in the heavenly throne aforesaid , are persons in forms like men , and not bodiless spirits , as the Learned have long declared , and the nature of their angelical spirits are pure reason onely ,

4 From the God of all truth I declare , that that Serpent which tempted Eve unto evil , was one of those Angels of light .

5 Moreover , that Serpent Angel was more wise or God-like in his creation then all the elect angels of glory , for the most wise God in this may be likened to a wise earthly prince , that for the manifestation of his royal pleasure , ex●lteth that ●ubject to the highest dignity , which he hath secretly decreed to the highest disgrace .

6 Thus it was with the glorious Creator , who foreknowing that his prerogative Royal would compell him to create this angelical reprobate , in reference to his divine Justice , therefore for the manifestation of his most glorious power unto his elect men and angels , his wisdom saw it most fit to endue him with more piercing rational wisdom and brightness of person , then all his angelical companions , because he was decreed to the greatest shame and pain , as aforesaid .

7 And not onely so , but also because the elect Angels should admire their Creators wisdom and power , when they should see the outcast condition of the highest created glory , and be filled with new declarations of honor , praise , and glory unto the divine Majesty , for his free electing love towards them , through which they were ensured eternally to reign in their created purity .

8 Again , from the true light of life , I positively affirm , that there was but onely one reprobate Angel created at the first , which is fully cleared in this Book .

9 Moreover , you spiritual ones may understand that if the most merciful Creator could possible have known any other way for the manifestation of his divine excell 〈◊〉 unto men and angels , I say you may be confident he would never have created any thing on purpose for eternal suffering .

10 Furthermore , can you possibly imagine or think that the most gracious and wise Creator would ever have suffered the nature of any creature to become rebellious against himself , for the occasioning of such marvellous transactions in this world , and suffering both of God , Angel and man , if he could have possessed his in●●nite glory , in the creating of every thing unto eternal pleasures .

11 Again , if dust and water were etern●l ●ubstances distinct from the Crea●or , it being dark and dead matter , it could not produce any kind of life at all of it self , but was brought forth into life by another .

12 Wherefore it may be queried by some , what was that which entered into dust and brought forth angelical bodies to live in the Creators presence ? was it any thing else but that spiritual life or divine nature of God himself ?

13 Unto this curious Quere from the true light of life I answer , that neither the spirit of angels , nor any other creatures were formed of the divine nature , but the souls of Adam and Eve onely .

14 But they were created of variety of spirits to one another , and to the Creator also , yet they were all purely created and in a sweet harmony with each other , and their Creator also , even so long , and no longer , then they abode in their created purity .

15 Again by inspiration from our Lord Jesus Christ , I affirm , that the unsearchable wisdom of the most high God , was secretly hid in the infinite power of his word speaking onely .

16 So that it was the fore-knowledge of his own mighty power , which was one of the principal grounds that moved him to produce and living creature in his presence .

17 Wherefore before any creature was formed by him , if he had not perfectly known that of those aforesaid elements of dust or water by his word speaking onely , he could create as many several spirits , with bodies sutable to their natures , as he saw good , and yet wholly retain the divine nature of his spirit to himself , he would never have formed any creature to have lived in his sight :

18 Because then , you know , there would have been no distinction of natures or names between the creatures themselves and the Creator , nor none of the variety of his infinite wisdom , power , and glory , ever seen or known by the creatures ;

19 For you that are spiritual may understand , that the Creators Royal will or pleasure , was that glorious wheel that moved him to form any creature at all .

20 Therefore you may also know , that it was impossible for him to create the spirits of Angels and man to be both of the nature of his own spirit , or neither of them to be of his divine nature , because as aforesaid , the variety of his wisdom , power , and glory , would have been all lost for want of distinction .

21 Moreover , if angels and man had been both of Gods divine nature in their creation , then in stead of their being capable to be transmuted into a higher or lower condition at the divine pleasure of the Creator , would they not rather have been unchangeable Creators , then changeable creatures ?

22 Therefore the most wise and holy Creator , that he might prevent all that might impede his divine purpose , he created the bodies of angels spiritual , and their natures rational , and he made the body of the man Adam natural , and his soul spiritual :

23 For if their spirits and bodies had been both of the divine nature , then it would have been impossible for them to be capable of any change , of sin or evil , or consent to evil in them , no more than the Creator himself .

24 Where then had been all the wonderful transactions of his glorious Majesty , or what would have been formed but Creators onely in stead of creatures , as aforesaid ?

25 Again , because of our weak comprehension in the deep things of God , I shall speak something by way of imagination onely , which is as followeth :

26 Suppose the most high God should have created both angels and men all glorious like himself , and eternally so to remain , yet those created beings could not possibly be the divine essence of his God-head spirit , but onely a created light of sensible life of divine joys proceeding from the eternal spirit , by vertue of words speaking through his heavenly mouth into those elements beforesaid .

27 Because you may know , that the uncreated Essence or Godhead spirit of an infinite Majesty , was utterly uncapable to be conveyed into a finite created being ; for infiniteness is onely capable of its own glorious centre :

28 So that you that are truly spiritual may understand , that after the Angels were formed into living bodies , the divine Majesty and those created beings , were become distinct in their essences for everlasting ;

29 That the angels by apparent sight of their Creators face , might know themselves to be but creatures , and subject to the divine pleasure of him that made them .

30 Moreover , from the true light of the Holy One of Israel I affirm , that the elect Angels of eternal glory had no certain knowledge of continuing in their created purities , until the Lord had discovered the reprobate angel unto them .

31 It is written , that he made all things for his own glory , and the wicked for the day of wrath .

32 My beloved spiritual brethren , you know that the heavenly nature of the divine Majesty , is nothing else but all variety of glorious excellencies .

33 Also you know that the Creators spirit being variety of spiritual perfections , he could create nothing against his glory , but for his glory onely , because that glory of his is himself , or his all in all , or onely pillar upon which he built his everlasting kingdom ;

34 Wherefore if angels or man had been framed in unchangeable conditions , then in stead of making known his manifold divine glories to his creatures , he must have created things for his own eternal ruine .

BEfore I treat of the first appearance of sin or evil in the reprobate angel , I shall speak of the creation of angels by a compari●on .

2 Suppose a man should speak words unto dry dust of sand distinct from his person , and before he spake unto that senseless Chaos he did perfectly know or beleeve in himself , that out of that dead dust , his very wo●ds would produce so many several sensible living bodies in his sight , though those words proceeded from the soul of the man .

3 Yet you may know that they were not the essence of the mans spirit , but onely a powerful influence of speech or words spoken through his mouth , for manifesting the variety of his natural wisdom , power , or glory , over the words which he had spoken .

4 Moreover you know , that a man with great ease might spare a few words without any trouble of mind in reference to what use he saw fit to imploy them , they being his own workmanship ; can any sober man deny this mans p●erogative pleasure with his own ? I trow not .

5 This was the Creators very case in the matter of creation , and who dares to speak against it ? No spiritual wise man I am sure , onely some lustful persons may dispute against it , though it be contrary to their own reason when it is sober .

6 But deeds of darkness hate the light , and can do no otherwise : and those that live in the light are made to abhor all deeds of darkness or vain disputes against the Creators Royal will or righteous ways .

7. Thus you which are truly spiritual may understand , that neither the spirits of angels , no nor of the man Adam himself , was of the divine essence in their creation . T is truth , the soul of Adam was of the very nature of the spirit of God , but it was a created nature or vertue which brought forth its pure natural body as its house or tabernacle of abode ; so that as the body had a beginning of dust , through which it was capable of change :

8 So likewise when that divine soul was covered with an earthly temple , it was capable of mutability , though it proceeded from an immutable glory .