The Ranters Bible OR, Seven several Religions by them held and maintained. WITH The full particulars of their strange Sects and Societies; their new places of meetings, both in City and Country; the manner of their life and conversation; their blasphemous Opinion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and their burning of his blessed WORD, and sacred Scriptures; the names of their new gods, and worshipping of the Sun, and three black Clouds; with the manner of their idolising them, North, West, East, and South; their drinking of healths to the Devil, and disposing of places in Hell; their blasphemous Creed and Litany; their Savage Opinion to lie with any man's wife, either in houses, fields, or streets, in the presence of hundreds of people; their Declaration in Kent; the apprehending of 30 of them near Uxbridge, with their trials and examinations, and the routing and dispersing the rest of their fellow ranters near Lin in Norfolk: A strange voice from heaven speaking to one Mr. Roulston, a London-Ranter, upon his going from White-Chappel, to meet some of his fellow-Creatures at Hackney, and the great things that happened thereupon, to the admiration of the Reader: the coming in of 700 since the second of this instant December, their Recantation, Oath, and Protestation. And Mr. Roulston's Letter to his late fellow-Ranters, with his Advice and Proposals, to be published in all Cities, and Market-towns, throughout England and Wales. Published by Mr. Gilbert Roulston, a late Fellow-RANTER. Imprimatur, J. DOWNAME. diagram showing the movement of the sun and stars London, Printed by J. C. and are to be sold in Cornhill, near the Exchange, and at Temple-Bar, 1650. The Ranters Bible, etc. 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 murderer from the beginning: This spirit of persecution hath not ceased to work, since Adam's fall, going amongst rich and poor, high and low, to set them at variance, and divide them in judgement; and as God is the Author of all good, so the Devil is the Author of all evil, being now very busy 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 means they are too prone to fall from their former principles, studying and practising newfound devices, and Hellbred 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 Country, and the particulars of their several Tenants, viz. The Ranters new God. North East West ☉ ♍ in South II. Another sort of Ranters are called by the name of Shelomethites, who hold swearing but a Compliment, 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 tenants, and Hellbred 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 elsewhere. III. Another sort of Ranters are called by the name of Clement's, who are persuaded 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 God's mercy, which absurd 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 tenant, and publicly 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 Author 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, Blaspheming, 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 endued 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, From this wicked Company of Atheists, And from their wicked plots and conspiracies, Good Lord deliver us all. Where upon this infernal Crew, began ro utter many bitter rexecrations, and blaspheming Vows and Protestations, to send them headlong to the Devil, which the reformed Ranters, before spoken of, hearing, immediately fell upon them, and beat them exceedingly, uttering these words, Where is your Devil and dark Angels, that can deliver 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, etc. 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 Soulsaving 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 Country, 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, that the Moss whereof God made the Elements, was coeternal with him, and that Christ in his Ascension unclothed 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 idolise and adore the Sun, and the 3. Clouds, wherein its splendour 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 vainglorious 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 lascivious and unapparalleld vices, accounting it no sin for hundreds of Men and Women (savage-like) to lie with each other, publicly 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 lascivious, shameless, and intemperate societies with other Women: whereupon, he immediately fell down on his knees, praising the great God of Heaven, for this his great change and conversion; and upon his immediate resurrection, betook himself to privacy for a time, writing this ensuing Letter, to his former Ranting Associates. Dear Friends, IT hath always been the subtlety of the Serpent, that old Devil, since Man had a being, to seek to deceive and destroy him, and to take him off from his being, and his well-being, and as God useth all means to do Mankind good, so Satan seeketh by all the means he can to do them hurt, in every age; and so much the more, as the light doth appear in every age, transforming himself like an Angel of light, that he may appear glorious in them, when he is nothing in substance, and in this age more than ever; because his Kingdom and black Angels gins to be full of darkness; he sees its high time to stir, or else to lose all, and is now labouring to overthrow the foundations of your faith, by taking you off from searching the Scriptures, by denying the word, and burning the sacred Writ, etc. utterly detesting against Christ and his truth, which truth we must all yield to, or else you are damned: And for 〈◊〉 part, I do wholly embrace it, denying and abhorring the wicked course of life, which formerly I delighted in, with you, for the space of 7. years, and odd months; during which time, I conceived myself to be in a happy condition; but being near to the very edge of the brink of the infernal lake and bottomelss pit of Hell, than came the Lord God in a terrible voice into my heart, saying, Leave off thy wicked ways, and return from whence thou camest, for after all such things even wicked men seek: These words I heard dolefully sounding, even when I was coming to your Diabolical meeting, which caused me to return back: And therefore friends, I do humbly implore you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to leave off your wicked ways, and to lay hold on the truth; for he that acts against truth, acts against God: His truth is the greatest Champion, and breaks all the Armour and Weapons that it fights with; for it is a soulsaving Weapon, and no Weapon form against it shall prosper; to those that yield, he shows mercy, and to those that will not, his blows are mortal: Therefore dear friends, be not found fighters against God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to help; for on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to pieces. Now the Lord Jesus Christ give you understanding in these things, and so I rest, Yours in the Lord, G. R. White-Chappel Decemb. 4. 1650. REader, since the writing of this Letter, above 700. are come in but by reason of a new Treatise preparing for the Press, I shall insist no further at present; but referreth thee to that subject, which contains a 7. years' Chronicle of all their ways, lives, and actions. FINIS.