Truth's Triumph over Error: OR, The Routing of the Seven false PROPHETS, Who have all lived in London in less than these 20. Years: (VIZ.)  




Weavers.  
Farnam,  
Bull,    


Husbandmen.  
Robbins,  
Garment    
Smith, a Shoemaker.  


Tailors.  
Muggleton and  
Reeve,      
Wherein is clearly discovered and confuted all their most Blasphemous, damnable, false and ridiculous Tenants.  
Themselves and Falsehoods opened, Anatomised, and dissected, and found to be no better than Impostures, Liars, Deluders, and Spiritual Gypsies.  
Proved by Time the Mother of Truth, Reason, Scripture, and their own Contradictions.  Matth. 7. 15. 
Beware of false Prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening Wolves.  
Written by Stephen Proudlove, a Lover of the Truth.  
LONDON, Printed by J. C. & T. W. for Tho. Lambert, 1653.   

THE EPISTLE TO The READER.  
COurteous Reader, I that am the least of the servants of Love, yet through that little faith in the Love, I have taken upon me to lay open the greatest and horriddest blasphemy against the God of Love, that (in my understanding) ever was broached since man had a being, the very thoughts whereof maketh my heart to tremble, and my soul as it were to go backwards, according to that speech, in the 9th of Jer. verse 1. Oh that my head were a well of water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears. etc.  
Therefore I do desire loving Friends and Readers, that ye would be pleased to judge so favourably of all things herein contained, as it is declared in the simplicity and innocency of the Authors spirit, and not out of any malice or envy; for here I take the eternal God to witness, that I am free from all manner of spleen against any party that is herein concerned, only desiring in the love of God, according to the small talon, or gift given me from God, to lay open to the world these Tenets, which may be as dangers, or stumbling blocks to the weak, only for that end they may shun them, and seek for a stability where it is to be found, even in our God, where all things, and all security else is to be found; and whatsoever I shall here insert, I shall be able to make good from several witnesses, as from several of their own disciples, as also some whom they have cursed, and some whom they have neither blessed, nor cursed. And this I shall oblige myself to make good at the desire of any shall require it, who shall at all times find me at my dwelling, if they will be pleased to inquire for Stephen Proud love, in French Alley in Golding-lane.   

A TRUE RELATION AND Description of seven pretended Prophets, and their false and Blasphemous Tenets, which have lived, and been in the City of London, all of them within less than these twenty years.  
THe first two that I have known in the abovesayd time, were two Weavers by trade, whose Names were, the one Bull, and the other Farnam, who pretended, and called themselves, the last Prophets, or the two witnesses, of whom mention is made in Revel. 11. who did declare; That they had power to stop the heavens that it should not rain, and likewise when it was their pleasure to pray again, the heavens should be opened, and should send forth her rain. Secondly, that no Magistrate should have power over their bodies, neither should any one kill them by violence. Thirdly, that they should live to see the sacking of Jerusalem. Fourthly, Farnam had a boy whom they affirmed should beat a Drum at the sacking thereof. Fiftly, that Jesus Christ should have a temporal Monarchy here upon earth, and both these held these heretical Tenets, and did firmly believe that it should be so, but time that manifests all truths, hath clearly evidenced to the world their fallasies, and therefore I need not to make any larger description of them, seeing they are long since dead by the plague, when they were both prisoners, which was the just Judgement of God upon them for their base deceivable qualities. And therefore I conclude these, and so go on to the next.  
The second two pretended Prophets, is John Robbins; and Joseph Garment, who are both yet alive; who did declare that they were God, and had power to raise the dead: and secondly, by the clapping of their hands, they were able to strike with death whomsoever they pleased; and thirdly, that they were to be the Jews deliverers; fourthly, that they were able to divide the waters; fifthly, that they should go to Jerusalem, with above a hundred thousand people, whom they should convoy thither, with many other ridiculous and heretical tenets, not worthy the mentioning; and therefore I conclude, and go on to the next.  
The next pretended Prophet, is one Smith by name, and a shoemaker by trade, who liveth in the County of Sussex, at a town called Tillington, and he doth declare; first, that he held the Lord Jesus Christ by the hand, for the space ●f five hours together, with whom he had several disco●…ses all that time; secondly, that he had received o●●… from the Lord Jesus Christ, to make a new sort of Paper without any size, whereupon he should cause the Bible to be reprinted for its preservation; thirdly, that upon New-year's day last there should be a general resurrection of all the beasts, and that they should come terribly upon the Earth to claim their skins of mankind, and whomsoever they should find their skins upon, they would destroy with desperate violence, with many other foolish absurdities, not worth the relating.  

A Description of the last two pretended Prophets, and their Tenants.  
THe first whereof is John Reve by name, and a Tailor by trade, the other Lodowick Muggleton a Tailor also, both living near unto the sign of the Owl in Trinity lane in London; the first of these, John Reve doth declare, that in the beginning of February last was twelve month, he received a commission from God, by voice of words, and that Lodowick Muggleton was given unto him to be his mouth, as Aaron was to Moses, and that they both together were commissionated to go forth and declare unto this bloody world, (as they call it) what every one's estate and condition was, & whosoever they should pronounce the sentence of damnation unto, should be damned to all eternity, and their estates blasted; and whoever they should pronounce to be blessed, or saved, should be partakers of Salvation, and that to all eternity; by means whereof, like crafty foulers they caught some few simple hearted ones into there snare, and pronounced them blessed, just as I have seen some do by little children, giving them counters to play with, and saying, or making them believe it was gold, so these pretended Prophets makes their disciples to believe, that by their speaking of a few words unto them, they do become the blessed of God for ever; but on the contrary, if that any should seem to neglect, or slight their commission, or should not approve of their interpretation of scriptures, than they damn them to all eternity, whereby they have frighted, and terrified the hearts and spirits of some other simple hearted people; just as the Church of Rome doth by their excommunications.  
The Author of this short Treatise hearing of these men, who assumed unto themselves such power, did desire to be acquainted with them, and at the first meeting, did ask them these three questions, viz.  

1. Whether God had the person of a man, and whether he had an audible voice?  
2. Whether or no they could err, or were incident to failings as other men were?  
3. Whether or no they could write scriptures so good as those, which are already written by Moses, the other Prophets, the Evangelists, and the Apostles?   
To all which, they thus, or to the like effect answered.  
To the first, that God had an audible voice, and that he was in the person of a man from all eternity, and that there was not, is not, nor never shall be any other God but the same Lord Jesus Christ, which was born of the Virgin Mary, and suffered at Jerusalem, and that the world and all things else, was only, and alonely made by him, and that when this Lord Jesus Christ was incarnate, and in his minority, and at his sufferings, and in the grave, then there was no God in heaven, nor in earth, the government of all things for that time being committed to Moses and Elias; and whatsoever God should be professed by any, they had power, both to curse, and to damn them and their professors.  
To the second, they plainly declared that they could not err nor fail, and were both alike minded, for they had an infallible spirit, by the which they were able to discern all things: neither could any man deceive them, neither could any sickness or any disease seize upon their bodies, neither should they ever commit any sin, neither at their death should they have the like fear and trouble in the least, as the Lord Jesus Christ had when he suffered.  
To the third they answered, that Moses, the other Prophets and Apostles had never the like light given them, nor the like power in spiritual things as they had, they being under the third and last dispensation; as they term it, the dispensation of the spirit, therefore able to write Scriptures more than they all, and that there hath not been any man these fourteen hundred years past, that ever hath spoken truth, from or truly opened any text of scripture, till they received their Commission.  
To all which, I thus reply:  
I do believe and declare unto the whole world, that that eternal, everliving, and all sufficient, only wise God, who had his being of himself, and in himself, sending forth all things, as of, so from, himself; and again retracting or drawing all things into himself again, is not to be comprehended, known, or declared to be what he is in his Eternal or Essential being; for how can the Mortal declare or make manifest the Immortal; the Creature the Creator; for the pot at furthest only manifests that it is made, but doth not know his Maker, neither can it so much as know his voice; Then how can mortal man know the voice of the Immortal God, which makes the Rocks to rend in pieces? Ye how terrible was the voice of God to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, that they never desired to hear it any more, wherefore they desired that Moses might speak with them, and not God any more?  
And secondly, whereas they do declare, that they cannot sin at all, nor err at any time, nor fail in their judgements; I myself with many others can witness several passages to the contrary, and let all reasonable men judge if rash anger, rash judgement, censuring and backbiting be not sin: Again, I with many others is able to testify against them to their faces, how they have failed and erred in judgement; for whereas they both affirmed that they were both endued, lighted, and guided by one and the selfsame infallible spirit, that no man was able to deceive them, or go about it, but they should be able to discern their hypocrisy or deceit.  
They having in my hearing, and in the hearing of some others pronounced the sentence of Damnation upon a man; I asked whether or no this sentence could not be revoked upon the party's humiliation and acknowledgement of his Error; the one of them, to wit, Muggleton, answered it might; then I asked the other, to wit, Reeve, the same question, and he answered and said, It could not; by means whereof they did contend one against another, which shows they were of a different judgement: Again, the said pretended Prophet Reeve having in my sight with a many others pronounced the sentence of blessedness and salvation to a Gunsmith in the Minories, his fellow Prophet did within a quarter of an hour pronounce the sentence of damnation upon the same party, and also the blasting of his Estate.  
Again, not long since being in company with the foresaid two pretended Prophets, and some other company, there came in a Gentleman whom they had damned three months before, or thereabouts; but the said Gentleman not taking notice that ever he had seen them before, carrying himself very fairly and seemingly, did approve of their judgements, by which means he did obtain their good liking, insomuch that they both declared they had nothing against him, but that he might have the Blessing, whereupon the Gentleman called them a couple of Loggerheads, saying, Are you the Prophets of the Lord, & doth not know that ye have already sentenced me to damnation, by all which (good people) ye may see their gross failings, and that they may be subject to sin, error, and mistakes, notwithstanding their great boasting, that if any should come into their company whom before they had cursed, they should discern and know him, although he should never so much disguise himself.  
And thirdly, these two pretended Prophets do not only assume unto themselves a Prerogative and power above and beyond Moses & the other Prophets and Apostles in the knowledge of the mind and will of God in the Scriptures, but also that they can both add to these Scriptures, and diminish from them, saying, Whatsoever they shall not approve of to be Scripture, is no Scripture at all, and so hath cut off all salomon's Writings, and the Book of Job to be any part of the Scripture, by means whereof there is a great stumbling block laid before the weak, who in the sincerity of their hearts are seeking the Lord, and hath ever had these Books in esteem, as all other Scripture; nay; and some have said, that they may as well question all the other Scriptures as these.  
Now I would question whether or no these men that thus add to, and diminish at their pleasure from the word of God, be not such as comes under that sentence mentioned in the 22. of the Revel. Cursed is every one that adds or diminishes from the words which are written in this Book, and so the plagues which are written therein to be justly due unto them.  
And likewise that these pretended Prophets may not be the same false deceiving Prophets which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ bids use beware, and take heed of in the 7. of Matth. ver. 15. therefore I have here inserted their Tenets as followeth.  

Several Tenets holden by these pretended Prophets.  
1. THe God whom they worship and serve hath not only an Audible voice, but also the body of a man discribing him to be a little shorter than the Author of this Book, and a little taller than the said Prophet Reeve, nay he was the pitch of a young Gentleman whom they have blessed.  
2. That there is a place or Earth above the stars, wherein this bodily God doth reside, and out of which he created this natural Earth upon which we live, and that in that upper or firmamental Earth there are Seas, with all manner of Fishes, and that there is all manner of Beasts and Fowls, and there is the place or habitation of the blessed Angels, as also of the Saints aforesaid.  
3. That the body and soul doth both departed this life, and die together, and so continueth unto the Resurrection.  
4. That after the General Resurrection this Earth upon which we now live shall be a place whereupon all the damned shall reside and be tormented for ever.  
5. This shall be the torment wherewith the said damned should be tormented, that their body should be as Brimstone, and their spirit as fire, there to burn and be tormented for ever; and that there should be no outgoing nor incomming of any of the senses, whereby they should have the least comfort or pleasure in any thing.  
6. Whereas some have declared, and a many more may declare, that they have received the assurance to themselves of God's Love in Jesus Christ; yet these doth declare, that it is nothing, nor of no worth, if they should declare the contrary, whereby they make themselves to be above God himself.  
7. That whosoever did not work for them, were (all sure as there were a God in Heaven) damned to all Eternity: There being once an old man in company whom they had formerly dammed spoke to the Prophet Reeve to fall to his work again, he did plainly declare in the hearing of a many, that as sure as there was a God in heaven, whosoever did not work for them was damned to all eternity; further saying, Old man there's a doctrine for you.  
8. That most of all those who had drawn the Sword in these wars, were as sure as there was a God in Heaven, damned to all Eternity, and that General Cromwell himself if he should despise their Commission, they would pronounce him a damned Reprobate.  
9 That all Ministers, Lawyers, Physicians, and whosoever goeth to Law, or whosoever taketh Physic for the recovery of their healths, are in the state of damnation.  
10. That all those whom they damn in this world should never neither in this world; nor in the world to come, see, or know any other Gods but them.  
11. That whosoever they declared, or sentenced to be blessed, should daily more and more increase in faith, and more and more daily should have power over sin; and at a time, one whom they bade blessed, declaring plainly that he had not as yet found any such effects wrought on him, they told him that their faith should uphold him till he had received faith of his own.  
12. One ask them how they should attain to their faith; they told him, that they must cast away all Ordinances, as praying, hearing, and the like, and believe them to be those two Prophets  sent of God.  
13. If that God should not maintain them without working, they would never serve such a God.  
14. That their God is wiser, and knoweth more to day then yesterday, and so continually increaseth in wisdom & knowledge.  
15. That the Judges of this Land together with the Ministers and Magistrates are those that shall be cast into the Lake alive.  
16. If they should be brought before Authority for this their judgement or practice, they should not be half so fearful to suffer death as Jesus Christ himself was.  
I have also often observed one cheating trick or Policy of these last 2 pretended Prophets, That when any came to reason with them; and to put them to it, they would presently pronounce the sentence of damnation against such a one, merely to shun all manner of Discourse with such; saying, That they were not to reason, or bold conference with the damned.   
Now I come to a conclusion, and therefore in the fear of God, and all tenderness of affection, I would entreat all people to be careful, and take heed of all such false deceiving and deluding spirits, which comes forth with such Messages to damn and to curse, and says that they are sent of God for that end and purpose, which in my judgement is one of the horridest blasphemies that ever I heard of, and a doctrine so contrary to the tenor of the whole Gospel; for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the 5. Chapter of Matthew, pronounces many blessings, but these two saith, That no blessing of God shall be available upon any that shall in the least gainsay them, the power of blessing and cursing being committed to them as the Instruments of God for that purpose; and this also is far contrary to Paul's Doctrine, who saith, Bless and curse not, knowing that ye are thereunto called, and it hath been ever the property of all Saints in all Ages, whensoever they came to the knowledge, that they themselves were blessed of God, not only to refrain from Cursing, but even with all their hearts and souls, to Bless, and to rejoice themselves in Blessing; but I have known these two pretended Prophets with all eagerness and bitterness of spirit, to double, and redouble their Curses upon some, calling them Devils, and Reprobated Devils, merely for not approving their judgements; and therefore for my own part, I leave them to the judgement of those who shall have occasion to try them hereafter; And so I conclude with these following Verses:    


¶ Here followeth some Verses of the Authors upon the word BROTHER, to one he so called in London.  

B BLest is that Light, that whomsoe'er doth see,  
Doth wear the Crown of Immortality.  
In this Light life is, and no death at all;  
There's all rejoicings, there's no Funeral.   

R RUn through the world you body, blood & bone,  
Take Scenses with you, and you eight, makes one;  
Yet were your eight 10000 eight times more,  
Ye were no nearer than you were before.   

O O How the Light rejoiceth in itself,  
It hath no respect to your worldly pelf,  
It doth not grow, nor doth it ere decline,  
It knows no degree between thine and mine.   

T THe Darkness judges all things to be light,  
How can this be, when they are mere dark night?  
Unless it be as I believe and say,  
That they do speak it out of a dark day.   

H HE that's in Light, the light and he is one,  
He through the Father shineth like the Son:  
World evermore, his glory is so great,  
That Men and Angels can it not repeat.   

E EVen so the Darkness ever loves itself,  
That it will part from all things, even from pelf  
To uphold its Kingdom, and its glory keep,  
It will use all forms, it will pray, preach, fast, & weep.   

R REnowned Bliss, to Thee be ever praise,  
For in thy Light is our full Length of Days;  
We joy in Thee, our joy is in no other,  
And so I end as I began, Dear Brother.    

¶ To another Brother, whose Name is Miles.  

M MY Mind's at rest, seeing the Truth I find,  
That those that say we see not, are stark blind,  
Then judge ye all ye wise men I beseech,  
If those that follow blind men scape the Ditch.   

I I Have known five before run in this strain  
Of Blasphemy, yet all their ends proved vain;  
And now at last comes Muggleton and Reeve,  
That to delude themselves do wholly give.   

L LOrd keep thy Servants in thy love so great,  
From those deluders and their fond conceit,  
That none of thine in them may put their trust,  
Nor such false gods as always are unjust.   

E EVery Age brings forth all kind of things,  
As harmless Lambs, & Serpents which have stings,  
And holy Ones, who serves with filial fear,  
And Prophets false, who do God curse and tear.   

S SO that these Locusts can not be the first,  
Sent late from God, as vermin to be cursed;  
And though in a short time God may them blast,  
I could desire that they may be the last.   

SSS Take one S more, and so make even,  
And in those four can ye not find out Stephen?  
If not, let these my Verses be allowed,  
Find you but Stephen in Love, and I'll be Proud:  
Howe'er let not my Verses go to wrack,  
Although begot under my Peddling Pack.    

Here follows some certain Verses, penned by the Author, who hath seen, and known, three or four couples, who hath called themselves Prophets upon the same account.  

I Speak the truth within these sixteen year,  
Three couple within our Hemisphere;  
And all three couple say, they came from God,  
From this same Text, To plague us with his Rod.  
The first two Prophets out of Essex came,  
Weavers by Trade, Farnam and Bull by name;  
They proudly said, that we all prayed in vain,  
For till their pleasure was, it should not rain.  
Yet 〈…〉 some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blind,  
The knavery of those two, did quickly find,  
Farnam to Newgate they did send to preach,  
And Bull in Old-Bridewell there must teach.  
So that between Newgate, and Bridewells whipping-Post,  
These Prophets quickly both their Faiths had lost;  
Then those silly ones whom they had led herein,  
When they saw this, Cried Lord great is our sin.  
The other two blasphemers from the Text,  
Was Robbins, and Garment, they came next;  
And we have witness that Robbins oft hath said,  
That he hath power, both over quick and dead:  
And he kept his disciples at such a bay,  
That they to none, but to himself should pray;  
And further said, they should not pray in vain,  
For he the heavenly Manna would down rain.  
Now the last two; is Reves and Muggleton,  
That comes amongst us with their damning doom;  
They say they will spare none great nor small,  
For if ye cross their way, they'll damn you all.  
But this they say again to comfort you;  
That if ye can believe that they are true,  
What though ye sin? ye need not to despair▪  
For they of Soul and Body both take care.  
Now O ye Powers that bears the sway  
Under the true God, I do you obey,  
And I desire that ye these men would sound,  
And if in them the truth of God be found,  
Let them be honoured by you as is meet,  
Prostrating your honours at their feet;  
But if ye find them in your wisdom's great,  
A pair of Knaves; living upon deceit.  
I pray you set them to their work again,  
And not idly so to live on others pain;  
There Trade is good, I speak it as a friend,  
For I am sure they can both make and mend,  
They on their Shopboard there may command all  
Those little creatures, red, white, black, and all,  
And if these creatures chance for to rebel,  
Then power they have to dam● 〈◊〉 in their hell.   
Finis.