FALSE PROPHETS Discovered.  
Being a true story of the Lives and Deaths of two Weavers (late of Colchester) viz. Richard Farnham and john Bull; who affirmed themselves the two great Prophets which should come in the end of the world, Mentioned Revel. 11. Also that the Plague should not come nigh their dwelling. Nevertheless being Prisoners, the one in Old-Bridewell, the other in New-Bridewell, by a strange Providence of Almighty God, both the one and the other died of the Plague in a House where they usually met, in Rosemary-Lane, in january last, 1641.  
Here also is laid down their strange Prophecies, and the Scriptures which they most blasphemously wrested, to the seducing of divers Proselytes, who yet remain obstinate, and confidently affirm that they are risen from the dead, and gone in vessels of Bulrushes to convert the ten Tribes; the which they will also seem to prove, as may be seen by this ensuing discourse.  
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.  1 Cor. 10.12. 
LONDON, Printed for I. W. 1642.   

False Prophets Discovered.  
RIchard Farneham and John Bull late of Colchester weavers, do hold themselves to be Prophets not ordinary, but the two great Prophets that should come in the end of the world which were spoke of in Zach. 4.4. Which saith, these are the two anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole earth: they were also spoke of said they in Revel. 11.3. where they be called the two witnesses, Verse 4.2. Olive trees & two Candlesticks, Verse 5. Out of their mouths proceeds fire, Verse 6. They have power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecies; and power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues as oft as they will, and they shall prophesy 1260 days, Verse 3. And having finished their testimony the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit should kill them in Jerusalem where Christ was slain, and the Nations should not suffer the dead bodies to be buried for three days and a half, because they were the men that tormented them that dwell on the earth, Verse 9.10. But after three days and a half the Spirit of life should enter into them and to the amazement of all their enemies they should stand upon their feet, and Richard Farnliam should be King upon David's throne, and john Bull should be Priest in Aaron's seat, and they should reign for ever. They instructed such as came to them in divers points, but because those things that God hath revealed to them are of a high nature, therefore they question men and women in the first place of certain points, that if they cannot answer to them, than they concluded that they were not capable of the high mysteries that God hath showed them, and therefore they questioned, 

1 Whether they were actually justified before they did repent, or repent before they were actually justified.  
2 If actually justified, than they asked how long since, for they supposed every one knew the direct time of their assurance.)  
3 They ask some other questions touching the manner of that work of their assurance of salvation, election, etc.   which if the Catechumists can answer, then would they declare other doctrines of higher matters touching the new jerusalem and resurrection of the dead a 1000 years before the end of the world, and in this they agreed not with the ancient Chileasts or Millinaries but with the Corinthians that held marrying and getting of Children in that thousand years, they hold that Christ's death is not for mankind, but for some certain persons and that his death only purgeth away sin before justification, but not after, saying that such sins as are committed after justification are not expiated by the sacrifice of Christ, but by his alone intercession; they also hold that all such as commit the sin against the Holy Ghost shall certainly be saved; because say they, none can commit that but only such as have repent and received the Holy Ghost, Heb. 6. and been sanctified by the blood of the Covenant, Heb. 10. They are certain such cannot be damned, howsoever such shall lose their assurance, their joy, and comfort in God, and in conscience be as Spira was even in Hell here, such they say are delivered up unto Satan, and are not to be prayed for. Moreover that Christ's prayer, john 17. when he prayed not for the world, but for such as were already converted or should be converted. Out of the world, they said that prayer was not for any, before justification, nor after apostasy, and yet those that once have faith, cannot for all the apostasies in the world be damned; therefore they held that Hemeneus and Philetus, & Simon Magus, were all certainly saved: they also hold, God Almighty is the author of sin, and that all the mischiefs that are done in the world were by God decreed: they also held that no manner of death could cease of themselves till they came to be slain in Jerusalem, they said this Kingdom of England is full of abomination, idolatries, and whoredoms, in token of which God hath moved Richard Farneham the Weaver as he did Hosea the Prophet, to take to himself another man's wife, viz. a wife of whoredoms, Hos. 3. Which Richard Farneham accordingly did, a Seafaring man's wife, a woman of fine parts for knowledge in the Scripture, which he deluded, and persuading her that he was a Prophet, she in obedience to him as a Prophet, (so she said) was married to him notwithstanding her husband alive at sea, who shortly after coming home, laid his wife in Newgate, where she was arraigned and condemned for having two husbands, but Farneham and she both were confident that she should not die for that; as the Harlot did abide for Hosea many days, so they were confident this Seafaring man's wife should for Farneham, which accordingly came to pass, for she being a deluded woman, through mercy, did obtain a reprieve, and it was ordered that the Seafaring man should have his wife again, who accordingly took her, and lay with her in the prison; which as they said did occasion the fulfilling of the third Chapter, which saith, Love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adultress, which this woman was now to her husband Farnham, because she had played the whore with the Seafaring man to whom she was given by the justices; yet not married to him as they said, which by law she ought to have been, so that now they said this is by them made a national sin, jer. 3.1. And as they were confident she should not die, but abide for Farneham, so in this they be true Prophets, for the Seafaring man is gone to the East Indies, and she returned to Farneham in Newbridewell, where he was a prisoner till he sickened, and john Bull in Old bridewell, Only through favour had liberty to go abroad, and often met at one Curtains house in Rosemary lane, where they both died, but Farneham died the first, and there was between Farnhams death and Bulls ten days; that is, those ten days in which they suffered great tribulation, which they say were foretold. Rev. 2.10. Where it is written, the Devil shall east some of you into prison, and ye shall suffer tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life: in which time they did daily exhort one another to constancy, and not to be staggered by the things that then happened. One of the women seeming to utter but some doubtful words, john Bull said away devil, and both john and the women said that Farnham overcoming that great temptation, and holding fast his confidence to the end, meaning his opinion he then should receive a Crown only he should lie three days and three nights in the heart oft e earth, as jonah was in the whales belly; but then he should rise, which accordingly he did, viz. upon january the eighth, 1641. And that then that Scripture was fulfilled, and not before: most impudently affirming, that only in Farnham that Scripture is fulfilled. Also most blasphemously they affirm, that Farnham is that Prophet which Moses spoke of, Deut. 18 18. which was there promised to be raised up like to Moses. This said they was not Christ, for which they allege john 1.21 where say they, that Prophet, Christ, and Elias, are esteemed three distinct persons. In like manner most blasphemously they applied many Scriptures proper to our Lord, to Richard Farnham, as Psal 21. The King shall rejoice in thy strength, thou hast given him his hearts desire, and hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head. Also Daniel 9.26. Where it is written that Messia shall be cut off, but not for himself, this they say was Farnham God's anointed. Also Isay 53.8. He was taken from prison and from judgement, namely Farnham, and who shall declare his generation, the heavens must contain Christ's body till the restitution, say they, Acts 3.21. And therefore all these Scriptures and many more are to be fulfilled in Farnham, say their deluded proselytes; and that Christ doth make him his substitute to do his work on earth, Psal. 89.19. I have laid help upon him that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people, that (say they) is Farnham, so that he is termed God's battle-axe, jer. 20.21. Thou art my battle-axe and weapon of war, for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms.  
It would be too tedious to cite the multitude of Scriptures peculiar to the Messia that Farnham & his Proselytes most blasphemously applied to that seducer: for john Bull that he is to be a Priest in the new jerusalem, and after his death to be raised again. For that purpose they bring, 1 Sam. 2. & 2 last verse. I will raise me up a faithful High Priest, saith God, that shall do according to that which is in my heart, and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. That King Farnham that is there styled Gods anointed, before whom john Bull must be a Priest for ever. But if any move a question where these two Prophets spend their time now, seeing they did with such confidence (before they died) affirm, that within three days they should rise again, and also that divers women which were of their company affirm, that they be for certain risen from the dead.  
The women answer, viz. Farnhams wife, which was the Seafaring man's wife, and one Cortius wife, in whose house they died, Cortin himself had been of their opinion, who also died of the plague. Also one Ticknals wife a Carpenter at Wapping, these three seduced women, say that Farnham and Bull are gone to convert the ten Tribes, which said they had traveled a long journey of a year and a halves voyage to find a country to serve their God in a country in which no man had ever dwelled, 2. Esdras 13.41. To that place they women are most confident they be gone, and that as Moses was hid in an Ark of Bulrushes so Farneham and Bull are gone in vessels of Bulrushes, say 18.1 2. Woe be to that land which they say is England, that sendeth Ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, go ye swift messengers to a nation scattered and rooted, but terrible from the beginning, these be the ten Tribes say they to whom these swift messengers be now fent: that this is truth, they allege another place, Isay 41.25 where they say that Farnhams resurrection and journey is recited in that he was then raised from the North, and he shall come from the rising of the Sun, and shall come upon Princes as upon Mortar, and as the Potter treadeth the clay. This is that say they the Apostle speaks of, Acts 13.40, 41. Beware therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets, which, say they, is that Farnham the Lords anointed shall come upon the Princes as upon Mortar; and as the Potter treadeth the Clay: yea, they are so confident of this that they boldly say, if the Scriptures be the Word of God, then are these things certainly true: and so bold and confident that they will in drinking one to another drink to these dead friends, Farnham and Bull, saying that they be certain they are alive, and shall return to rule this kingdom with a rod of Iron. Thus we see how fearfully these poor souls are deluded; but more especially may the fruits of their delusion be discerned, for that we may perceive by discoursing with them how they rejoice in it; ye it is even meat and drink to them; and moreover they rejoice to be evil spoke of, and to suffer shame and reproach, which doubtless they do very much: yea and say, that these Prophets left them in charge to suffer as much shame as was laid upon them, either by following their corpse to the grave, or otherwise, for the more their shame was, the greater should their glory be. Ye Farnhams wife, whose husband coming home from sea, and finding his wife deluded, and so married to Farnham, to fulfil (as they did conceive) that in Hosea, where the Prophet was commanded to take unto himself a wife of whoredoms Mrs Haddinton (for so I take it her name was) she was content to lose the glory of being esteemed an honest woman, and to be accounted a wife of whoredoms that she might occasion as she did conceive the fulfilling of that prophecy. But O the Devil that subtle Serpent, who hath entangled the minds of these poor women, for that there was one that would have been at cost of opening the graves, though six or seven weeks after they were dead, that so the sight of the dead corpse in graves might have convinced their follies. But O the deepness of Satan, he had persuaded them how this was the very time that Scripture was fulfilled, Mat. 22.39, 40. An adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no signe shall be given but that of the prophet jonah where as they said our Lord shown many miracles, but said they the men of this generation, have oft times sought a sign from Farnham, but no sign must be given & therefore if their graves be opened and the simillits of their bodies should appear, to our senses, it is but what they do expectt, for that to this generation no sign shall be given, notwithstanding they are certain as they say, that their true bodies are not there; the consideration of which delusion may make any honest Christian even with a sad heart to pour out prayers for them, and to move those that be able with patience and meekness to prove, if by any means they can recover them out of the snare of the devil, for that these three with some others setting their delusion aside, are esteemed by understanding men, to be women of good parts, honest of conversations, and very ready in Scriptures, and therefore it is hoped that it would not be labour lost, forsomeable divines to labour their redusing: let him know that he that converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hid a multitude of sins, james 5.20.  
The wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.  
FINIS.