GReat are the troubles of this Age, in respect of that persecution on all sides, that hardly one o­pinion can afford another a good word. And what is the reason of all this? Sure it is not of God, but of the Man of sin, who was a murtherer from the beginning: This spirit of persecution hath not ceased to work, since Adams fall, going amongst rich and poor, high and low, to set them at variance, and divide them in judgment; and as God is the Authour of all good, so the Devil is the Authour of all evil, being now very bu­sie and active in this Nation, for the depriving of the poor people of their Soul-salvation, sowing the Athei­stical Seed in the hearts of divers, by which meanes they are too prone to fall from their former principles, stu­dying and practising new-found devices, and Hel-bred stratagems, as will appear by this ensuing Relation, wherein is contained a description of the several Sects, Societies and Factions of the new Generation of those called Ranters, both in City and Countrey, and the par­ticulars of their several Tenents, viz.

I. On the 16. of Novemb. 1656. A great Company of these new Generations of Vipers, called Ranters, were gathered together near the Soho as Westminster, where they exercised themselves in many roya­tous and uncivil actions; and after some hours spent i [...] feasting and the like, they stript themselves quite [...]aked, and dansing the Adamites Curranto, which was, That after 2. or 3. familist Giggs, hand in hand, each man should imbrace his fellow-semale, in the flesh, for the acting of that inhumane Theatre of carnal copulation, which is so gloriously il­lustrated in the sacred Scriptures, to be one of the greatest sins, in bringing them to the very brinks of perpetual damnation; in defence of which abominable and lascivious act, they hold it a tenent lawful, to lie with any Woman Whatsoever: These are a sort of Ranters, called by the name, Of the Familists of Love, who would have all things com­mon, and hold it a Paradice to live so, because their Discipline allowes, to court naked, in which they blush no more, then Adam at his first Cre­ation, Gen. 2.5. This Opinion a native German first practised in Holland, 40. years since, and coming over into England, proved a Di­abolical Instrument, in soweing the seed of Sathan, in the hearts of ma­ny about London, telling and perswading them, that it was a great sin, to cleave either to one man or Woman, that there was neither God nor Devil, Heaven nor Hell, and that they ought not to worship any thing visible or invisible, but the Sun, which in this wise, he perswaded them to do; that after they had taken their fill in this, [savage] pleasure of Paradice, (as they call it) they should turn themselves North, West, East and South, (according to the sign here inserted) and that was a remission, promised, for their inhumane act of Ranting.

II. Another sort of Ranters are called by the name of Shelome­thites, who hold swearing but a Complement, and blasphemy a badge of honour, accounting that fellow-Creature, the greatest and most wor­thy, that can invent the chiefest Oaths, springing from the bitter and fiery lake of Hell and Pluto: Of this wicked Generation, a party of them were lately discovered near Uxbridge, who upon examination before a Justice of Peace, confessed. That they held it lawful so to do, resolutely breaking forth in most bitter and unchristian like language against all those who endeavoured to turn them from these desperate and soul-dam­ning opinion; but since their restraint of liberty, divers of them have detested against this diabolical way, protesting, against their infernal te­nents, and Hel-bred principles, and utterly disavowing any fellowship or society with them for the time to come; and promising a discovery of all others of the like nature, resident in those parts, or else-where.

III. Another sort of Ranters are called by the name of Clements, who are perswaded that after death (notwithstanding their lascivious actions, as aforesaid) they may repent in the world to come; and that it is then sure enough to seek Gods mercy, which absur'd and false Opinion, cau­seth divers, both in City and Country, to attend to this blasphemous Crew, and wholly to cast off their blasphemous principles of Christianity, and sobriety of life: O the ignorance of these times! that men should fall from the ways of truth and comply with the spirit of darkness.

IV. Another sort of Ranters are called by the name of Athians, who affirm, that when the body dies, the soul perisheth, and both shall be re­ceived again at the day of judgement: which Doctrine is something like that which lately possessed divers about Lin in Norfolk, who at a meeting the 17. of Novemb. last, would needs take upon them to main­tain this point to be just and right; but others of their late Brethren, af­ter a serious and great dispute, wholly denied this tenent, and publickly declared, That in respect of that condition in which the soul is stated, (which being immortal cannot die) shall be increased, but never chang­ed: To which principle above 100. came in, there present decla­ring themselves enemies to all those who persisted in that blasphemous opinion; insomuch, that some of those that refused to re [...]eive conversi­on, were apprehended; others escaped; but, in fine, they all received a blow, and were all subdued and ro [...]ted.

V. Another sort of Ranters are called by the name of Nicholartanes, much like the former, who lived promissiously, like Beasts, no man ha­ving his own proper wife, but using any Woman at their pleasure, and thirsting after their proprieties and estates: These are not only plunde­rers, but Robbers of their very skins and bones.

VI. These sorts of Ranters are called by the name of Marcious, who believe that there are two Gods, one the Authour of all good, the other of all evil things; which Sect Paipiripes, in his time, called The first born of the Devil, and in these latter times, too too many hold these erroneous Opinions, there being a Generation sprung up, who have a great respect to observe the traditions of men, but deny Scriptures, holding this dangerous Discipline, (which the mad and ranting Ranters, calls his B [...]le,) That Swearing, whoring, Roaring, Revelling, Bl [...]s­pheaming, and the greatest vices they can imagine, are the only acti­ons of honour to bring them to happiness; and in which happiness, they as­sume to themselves a right, by drinking Healths to the Devil, and cast­ing lots for the disposing of places in Hell; but some amongst the rest, being indu'd with the spirit of Grace, upon the carouzing of the Cup a­bout, in like manner aforesaid, at a meeting near the Wild in Kent; when it came to their turns to drink, refused the same, saying,

Where upon this infernal Crew, began ro utter many bitter rex­ecrations, and blaspheaming Vows and Protestations, to send them head-long to the Devil, which the reformed Ranters, before spoken of, hearing, imediately fell upon them, and beat them exceedingly, uttering these words, Where is your Devil and dark Angels, that can delive [...] you out of our hands; for although we were a long time blinded by the Man of sin, we are now by the tender mercies of Jesus Christ, and by the influence of his Divine Spirit, restored again unto light; and therefore are resolved to partake no longer with you in your abominable and detestable vanities, &c. Which words struck such a terror to their former fellow-Creatures, that they all unanimously resolved to lead a new life, to withdraw from the Gulf of Hell, and to betake themselves to the true Soul-saving Gospel Road, and so with great alacrity and joy parted quietly, betaking themselves to their respective places of habitation.

VII. Another sort of these notorious Ranters, both in City and Countrey, are called by the name of Selentian Donatists; who hold an opinion, that neither the word of God, (for the [...]ible they burn nor a­ny under the Canopy of Heaven, can make so perfect a Church, as their [...] Discipline; denying all powers, and refusing to submit to any Go­vernment, erected either by Kings or Parliament, being of an opinion, [Page 5]that the Mosse whereof God made the Elements, was coeternal with him, and that Christ in his Ascention uncloathed himself of the flesh of Man, and left it in the Globe of the Sun; and thereupon hold this erro­neous Tenent, that it is only lawful for them to idolize and adore the Sun, and the 3. Clouds, wherein its splendor is sundry times eclipsed and darkened, being of this idolatrous and dangerous Opinion, that after this life there, their bodies shall rest for ever. These sort of Ranters, are of a vain-glorious opinion, steering their ways and actions, by the con­course of the Stars; for towards the Evening, so soon as the bright [...] met, called the Shephard-star, appears, they frequent their Babylonish meetings, the said Star being the word and sign, given out by these infer­nal Creatures, for the calling in of their diabolical Flocks; and upon their dissembling together, they exercise themselves in nothing else, but lacivious and unapparalleld vices, accounting it no sin for hundreds of Men and Women (savage-like) to lie with each other, publickly all together, either in Houses, Fields, or Streets, which is their constant course upon several meetings. And one amongst the rest, of these rant­ing Crew, observing the time when the Shepheards-Star should appear; to the end, he might give his personal residence amongst them; upon his going from his own house in White-Chappel, to Pluto's Flock, en­folding each other near Hackney, he heard a loud voice sounding in his mind, as followeth, Leave off thy abominable ways, and return from whence thou comest; for after all such things only wicked men seek. And as he heard this voice sounding in his heart, so also his Con­science accused him, that he was one of those wicked men, spending his precious time in lacivious, shameless, and intemperate societies with o­ther Women: whereupon, he imediately fell down on his knees, praising the great God of Heaven, for this his great change and conversion; and upon his imediate resurrection, betook himself to privacy for a time, writing this ensuing Letter, to his former Ranting Associates.