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 mouthes pro­ceeds fire, Verse 6. They have power to shut Heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesies; 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 prophesie 1260 dayes, Verse 3. And having fini­shed their testimony the beast that ascended out of the bottomelesse pit should kill them in Hierusalem where Christ was slaine, and the Nations should not suffer the dead bodies to be buried for three dayes and a halfe, because they were the men that tormented them that dwell on the earth, Verse 9.10. But after three dayes and a halfe 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 Davids throne, and Iohn Bull should be Priest in Aarons seat, and they should raigne 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 certaine points, that if they cannot answer to them, then they concluded that they were not capable of the high mysteries that God hath shewed 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, then they asked how long since, for they supposed every one knew the direct time of their assurance.)
• 3 They aske some other questions touching the manner of that worke of their assurance of salvation, election, &c.

which if the Ca­techumists can answer, then would they declare other doctrines of higher matters touching the new Ierusalem and resurrection of the dead a 1000 yeares 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 yeares, they hold that Christs death is not for mankind, but [Page]for some certaine 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 sinne against the Holy Ghost shall certainly be saved; because say they, none can commit that but only such as have repented and received the Holy Ghost, Heb. 6. and been sanctified by the blood of the Covenant, Heb. 10. They are certaine 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 Christs prayer, Iohn 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 apostacy, and yet those that once have faith, cannot for all the apostacies 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 sinne, and that all the mischiefs that are done in the world were by God decreed: they also held that no manner of death could ceaze of themselves till they came to be slaine in Jerusalem, they said this Kingdome of England is full of abomination, idolatries, and whoredomes, in to­ken of which God hath moved Richard Farneham the Weaver as he did Hosea the Prophet, to take to himselfe another mans wife, viz. a wife of whoredomes, Hos. 3. Which Richard Farneham accor­dingly did, a Seafaring mans wife, a woman of fine parts for know­ledge in the Scripture, which he deluded, and perswading 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 comming 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 dye for that; as the Harlot did abide for Hosea many dayes, so they were confident this Seafaring mans wife should for Farneham, which ac­cordingly came to passe, for she being a deluded woman, through mercy, did obtaine a reprieve, and it was ordered that the Seafa­ring man should have his wife againe, who accordingly tooke 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 adultresse, 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 Iustices; yet not married to him as they said, which by law she ought to have beene, so that now they said this is by them made a nationall sinne, Ier. 3.1. And as they were confident she should not die, but abide for Farneham, [Page]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 sickned, and Iohn 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 dyed, but Farneham dyed the first, and there was betweene Farnhams death and Bulls tenne dayes; that is, those tenne dayes in which they suffered great tribulation, which they say were foretold. Rev. 2.10. Where it is written, the Devill shall east some of you into prison, and ye shall suffer tribulation ten dayes. Be thou faithfull unto the death, and I will give thee a crowne of life: in which time they did daily exhort one another to constancy, and not to be stagger'd by the things that then hapned. One of the women seeming to utter but some doubtfull words, Iohn Bull said away devill, and both Iohn and the women said that Farnham overcoming that great temptation, and holding fast his confidence to the end, meaning his opinion he then should receave a Crowne only he should lye three dayes and three nights in the heart oft e earth, as Ionah was in the whales belly; but then he should rise, which accordingly he did, viz. upon Ianuary 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 affirme, that Farnham is that Prophet which Moses spake of, Deut. 18 18. which was there promised to be raised up like to Moses. This said they was not Christ, for which they alledge Iohn 1.21 where say they, that Prophet, Christ, and Elias, are esteemed three distinct persons. In like manner most blasphemously they applyed many Scriptures proper to our Lord, to Richard Farnham, as Psal 21. The King shall rejoyce in thy strength, thou hast given him his hearts de­sire, and hast set a crowne of pure gold upon his head. Also Daniel 9.26. Where it is written that Messia shall be cut off, but not for himselfe, this they say was Farnham Gods anointed. Also Isay 53.8. He was taken from prison and from judgement, namely Farnham, and who shall declare his generation, the heavens must containe Christs body till the restitution, say they, Acts 3.21. And therefore al these Scriptures and many more are to be fulfilled in Farnham, say their deluded proselites; 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 Gods battle-axe, Ier. 20.21. Thou art my battle-axe and weapon of warre, for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdomes.

It would be too tedious to cite the multitude of Scriptures pecu­liar to the Messia that Farnham & his Proselites most blasphemous­ly [Page]applied to that seducer: for Iohn Bull that he is to be a Priest in the new Ierusalem, and after his death to be raised againe. For that purpose they bring, 1 Sam. 2. & 2 last vers. I will raise me up a faith­full 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 stiled Gods anointed, before whom Iohn 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) affirme, that within three dayes they should rise againe, and also that divers women which were of their company affirme, that they be for certain risen from the dead.

The women answer, viz. Farnhams wife, which was the Seafa­ring mans wife, and one Cortius wife, in whose house they dyed, Cortin himselfe had beene 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 travelled a long journey of a yeare and a halfes voyage to finde a countrey to serve their God in a countrey in which no man had ever dwelt, 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 Bullrushes so Farneham and Bull are gone in vessels of Bullrushes, say 18.1 2. Woe be to that land which they say is England, that sendeth Embassadours 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 alledge 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 Sunne, and shall come upon Princes as upon Morter, 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 Morter; 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 certaine they are alive, and shall returne to rule this kingdome with a rod of Iron. Thus we see how fearfully these poore soules are deluded; but more especially may the fruits of their delusion be discerned, for that we may perceave by discour­sing with them how they rejoyce in it; ye it is even meat and drink to them; and moreover they rejoyce to be evill spoke of, and to suffer shame and reproach, which doubtlesse they do very much: yea [Page]and say, that these Prophets left them in charge to suffer as much shame as was laid upon them, either by following their corps to the grave, or otherwise, for the more their shame was, the greater should their glory be. Ye Farnhams wife, whose husband comming home from sea, and finding his wife deluded, and so married to Farnham, to fulfill (as they did conceave) that in Hosea, where the Prophet was commanded to take unto himselfe a wife of whore­domes 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 whoredomes that she might occasion as she did conceave the fulfilling of that prophesie. But O the Devill that sub­till Serpent, who hath intangled the minds of these poor women, for that there was one that would have beene at cost of opening the graves, though six or seven weeks after they were dead, that so the sight of the dead corps in graves might have convinced their follies. But O the deepnesse of Satan, he had perswaded them how this was the very time that Scripture was fulfilled, Mat. 22.39, 40. An adulte­rous generation seekes a signe, but no figne shall be given but that of the prophet Ionah where as they said our Lord shewed many mi­racles, but said they the men of this generation, have oft times sought a sign from Farnham, but no signe must be given & therefore if their graves be opened and the simillits of their bodies should ap­peare, to our sences, it is but what they doe expectt, for that to this generation no signe shall be given, notwithstanding they are certaine 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 poure out prayers for them, and to move those that be able with patience and meeknesse to prove, if by any meanes they can recover them out of the snare of the devill, 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 errour of his way, shall save a soule from death, and shall hide a multitude of sinnes, Iames 5.20.

The wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament, and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever.