Vox cœli to England, or Englands fore-warning from heaven.: Being a relation of true, strange, and wonderfull visions, and propheticall revelations, concerning these tragicall, sinfull times; and with what care and diligence reconciliation ought to be laboured for, between the King and Parliament, having never been heretofore published. Now thought fit to be published to all that love Christ, and his kingdom in sincerity. / By Theophilus Philalethes Toxander. Published according to order.

THE FORE-SPEECH OF the first Copy.

TO all Gods Saints and faithfull servants, which diligently observe his ordinances in keeping his Commandments, and walk mournfully before the Lord of hoasts in these black and dreadfull times of the fiery triall and bloody agony of his Church.

1 Pet. 4.12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery triall, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. 13 But rejoyce, in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings. 14 For the Spi∣rit of glory, and of God resteth upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murtherer, or as a thief, or as an evill doer, or as a busie-body in other mens matters. 16 But, if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorifie God on this behalf. 17 For the time is, that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God? 18 And if the righte∣ous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?

Matth. 7.15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruits, is hewen down, and cast into the fire.

1 Tim. 6.3. If any man consent not to wholsome words, even that do∣ctrine that is according to godlinesse, 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions, and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evill surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men that are corrupted in their judgements, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godlinesse: (behold here the fruits of false prophesie, and not onely of heresie, but heterodoxie, or rather heterodidascaly; which is truly false prophesie) from such withdraw thy self. 2 Tim. ••.16. Shun profane and vain janglings, for they will increase unto more ••••godlinesse. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker. Behold here

again the kindly fruits of false prophets: for they are inwardly ravening wolves, saith our Saviour; no question, for the devour∣ing nature of their doctrine: And here again Paul likeneth their doctrine to a canker or gangreen for the same cause of its eating, or devouring: for which cause also there is one sort of canker, that is called a woolf.

Gal. 5.19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, adulterie, forni∣cation, idolatrie, witchcraft, seditious, heresies, murthers, drunkennesse, &c. and such like, of which I tell you, before ye do them, that they whcih do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Why! how now Paul? are the works of the flesh manifest? and is heresie one of those? and as manifest as adultery, fornication, idolatry, witchcraft, murther, drunkennesse, &c. and shall it as well exclude from the kingdom of heaven, as these? Now I see of a truth that you have not been of our Sectaries and Independents minde.

In this generall assault and fiery triall of the Church of Christ, by the machinations of that red Dragon in the Revel.a, even that old serpent called the devil and Satan, that transforms his own apostles and angels into the Apostles of Christ, and him∣self into an Angel of lightb, and deceives the whole world, wherein all the principalities and powers, rulers of darknesse and spirituall wickednesse in high placesc, are with all their power and policie, wiles and devices, stratagems and treache∣ries, designes and depths of Satan, full charged, and furiously ingaged to root it out of Christendome; it concerns all that have any sense of God, or of godlinesse, not to be idle spectators, or hollow neutrals; but (since the publick is ever to be preferr'd be∣fore private, spiritual before secular, and Gods glory before all) now or never by their utmost power, and endeavours, and libe∣rall contributions of what they can bring conducefull to the cause, to help the Lord against the mighty, lest that dreadfull curse of Meroz deservedly befall themd. Whilest others there∣fore of greater wealth and worth contributed their means and endeavours largely to this just war, in the eyse of it, against our Romish Philistines, and Antichristian Sectaries and Factionists; and as just may it prove, I pray heaven in the close of it; I trust it will not be unacceptable to any of Gods Saints and faithfull people, to present to their view this plain, yet pertinent relation

(though somewhat late, as some may think) for as much as though some Scenes be past, yet the Play is not done, but ano∣ther Act like to begin, and perhaps more, that may bring a sadder catastrophe, then most are aware of: Scribes and Phari∣sees, Erastians and Independents; Lawyers and Civilian-policy-mongers, with Sectaries and Libertine-conscience-mongers, ha∣ving now got the place of Straffordians and Canterburians; and as busily compassing Sea and Land, as ever the others were, and leaving nothing unessay'd to make Proselytes of their own kind, though when they were made, they became twofold more the children of hell, then beforee. If it be but like the widows mite in the Gospel; yet, (which maketh the mite a million) with a free heart, and a fervent zeal to the good of Gods people, and Church of Christ in England, she casts it up into the treasurie.

Notes

• a

  Cap. 12.3, 7, 9.
• b

  2 Cor. 11.13, 14.
• c

  Ephes. 6.12.
• Revel. 2.24.
• d

  Iudg. 5.23.
• e

  Matth. 23.15.