Thus the Scottish Sir David Lindsay's long poem entitled _Monarchy, or Ane Dialogue betwix Experience and one Courtier of the Miserable Estate of the World_, the date of which is 1553, is a moralized sketch of the whole previous history of the world, according to the then accepted doctrine of the Four past Secular Monarchies, with a glance around at the Europe of Lindsay's own time as already certainly in the dregs of "The Latter Days," and an anticipation, as if with assured personal belief, of a glorious Fifth Monarchy, or miraculous reconstitution of the whole Universe into a new Heaven and Earth, to begin probably about the year 2000.] RANTERS:--"These made it their business," says Baxter, "to set up the Light of Nature under the name of _Christ in Man_, and to dishonour and cry down the Church, the Scripture, and the present Ministry, and our worship and ordinances; and called men to hearken to Christ within them.

But withal they conjoined a cursed doctrine of Libertinism, which brought them to all abominable filthiness of life.

They taught, as the FAMILISTS, (see Vol.III.p.

152), that God regardeth not the actions of the outward man, but of the heart, and that to the pure all things are pure ...

I have seen myself letters written from Abington, where among both soldiers and people this contagion did then prevail, full of horrid oaths and curses and blasphemy, not fit to be repeated by the tongue or pen of man; and this all uttered as the effect of knowledge and a part of their Religion, in a fanatic strain, and fathered on the Spirit of God." The Ranters, in fact, seem to have been ANTINOMIANS (see Vol.