The banner of Gods love, and ensign of righteousness spread over his people in these later dayes.: Wherein the true light shineth, and the mysterie that hath been hid from ages and generations, is revealed to the saints, which is, Christ in us the hope of glory, as our forefathers witnessed, read Col. I. 26, 27, 28, 29. Also, a testimony against them who formerly hath tasted of the good word of God, and of the power of the world to come, who hath cast the law of God behind their backs, and hath trodden under foot the blood of the covenant. ... most especially, those that are called Anabaptists and Independents. Also, a few words in warning to the priests, professors, and people of the town and county of Southhampton. With a few quæries to the rulers and magistrates of England, to try their fruits whether they be according to the Christian magistrates recorded in the Scripture of truth, ... . Set forth most especially for the sake of the honest-hearted, who are not wholly given up to believe lyes, that they may come to know the way of life and peace. Written by me who are called Ambrose Rigge.

And now a few words in warning to the Priests Professors, and people of the Town, and County of South∣ampton.

VVOE Woe unto you the Inhabitants of Southamp∣ton Priests Professors and People, who hate the light wherewith Christ Jesus the light of the world hath * 1.1 lighted you withall; your deeds are evil, and your wayes are crooked, and perverse, even the slippery wayes of darknesse, your building must be thrown down, and not one stone left upon another, & your Image must be dashed to peices which you have set up, (unto which you would * 1.2 have the true seed to bow) with the little stone cut out of the Mountains without hand; at which you stumble, which is become a rock of offence unto you, who at the word of life stumbles, and yet professeth the letter as your fore-fathers did, but as far if not further from owning * 1.3 the life as they were, even stoping your ears, at the voice of the true Prophet; and cannot endure sound Doctrine; * 1.4 but saith unto the Prophets Prophesy smooth things unto us, and speake unto us peace, though the witnesse of God (the true Prophet in your consciences) saith there is no peace to you, for you live in the lust of the eye, and in * 1.5 the lust of the flesh, and in the pride of life, eating and drinking and riseing up to play, even like your Sister So∣dom, whom God overthrew: And doth not thy Prophets in the midst of thee hearken to this, and cry peace peace where the Lord hath not spoken peace, and daube with untempred morter, so that none is able to turn from the * 1.6 evil of their doings, but all your daubing is accounted as Potters clay, for within are you ful of rottennesse and de∣ceit, * 1.7 pride, and ambition, envy and hatred, prisoning

and persecuting the Innocent, which are all fruits of that * 1.8 tree which hath no promise but to be hewn down and cast into the fire; long hath the Lord looked for fruits of you, but nothing is brought forth but Bryers, and Thornes, for your profession and Ministry will not stand, without renting and tearing, pulling and hailing out of your Syna∣gogues, persecuting and drawing the Innocent before your Iudgement seates; false accuseing and backbiteing, * 1.9 lyeing and slandering, these are the fruits that is brought forth a mongst you of which I am an eye and eare witnesse, and this was not declared against by thee Nathaniell Robin∣son, who professes thy selfe to be a teacher of others, but thou thy selfe is not yet taught to deny nor to declare a∣gainst such things, but doth cry out and complain it is not severe enough; Now are you like Priest like people, all are * 1.10 prophaine; yea your wickednesse is now found out, and your wayes traced with the eternal light of the Son of God which you hate and scof at, now doth your inside appear, the sheeps covering will no longer hide the ravening Wolfe; but he breaks forth in great rage and fury even * 1.11 ready to devour the Lambs of Christ, which walks Inno∣cently before you, who are inwardly ravening Wolves as your fruits makes you manifest, by which you are known, * 1.12 as Christ Jesus the light of the world hath foretold, which is now seen and fulfilled, glory be unto his eternal name for ever that your good words and fair speeches will no longer hide you, but the children of light sees you to be in the same steps of them, the Prophets Christ and the Apostles was sent to cry against, which use your tongues * 1.13 and say thus saith the Lord, when in the mean while you are persecuting his Servants and slaying his Son, though * 1.14 you make a large profession of him, and call him Lord and Master, but doth not the things which he commands but the things which his soule loathes.

And thou Nathaniell Robinson look upon thy congregati∣on, yea them which thou calls church members, which thou hast sowne unto, and see if there be any thing to be

reaped amongst them but corruption, pride, lust, light∣nesse, wantonnesse, envying, strife and debate, the most vaine fashions and customes, of the world, which is to fade as the flower: And is not thy Vineyard full of this, can thou look upon them and not confesse thou art a shamelesse Vinedresser, that can walk in this Vineyard without blushing? thy plants doth send forth an evil smell into the nostrils of the Lord: Is not thy preaching vaine, and their faith vaine, and thy people yet in their sins, and pleading for them for term of life? but if thou had stood * 1.15 in the councell of the Lord, and caused his people to have heard his word, then they should have been turned from these abominations, which both thou and they are in, and pleading for, and persecuting such who testifies against them, and dare thou say that thou hast brought them to witnesse the first Principle of religion, or thinkest thou * 1.16 the kingdome of Heaven stands in words, or the way to it is the way of uncleannesse, Pride, Envy &c. And whe∣ther thou and the rest be not in such wayes of darknesse * 1.17 aforementioned yea or nay; if this be the vvay it is very broade, and many may go in thereat, and yet may profess as much of the Saints vvords as you can or doth, vvhile * 1.18 they themselves are of their father the Devil as the Jevvs vvas, vvhose vvorks they did in persecuting his Servants and stoneing him, and are not you doing the same? let the faithful Prophets of the Lord once speak, and lend your * 1.19 eares a little unto him vvho vvill not flatter nor lye nor daube vvith untempred morter, for novv hath the Lord raised him according to his promise vvho speaks vvith au∣thority, * 1.20 and ministers to the spirit in prison, and all that vvill not harken unto him shall be cut off, the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, and it shall be accomplished, and * 1.21 unto him shall Kings bovv, and cast dovvn their Crovvnes, Who vvill rule the Nations vvith a rod of Iron, and dash them to peices as a Potters Vessel, and novv vvoe * 1.22 unto the Crovvne of pride, that must be brought dovvn and laid in the dust: And you that bear it the Lord vvill

scatter in your Imaginations in vvhat form or profession * 1.23 so ever you bee, though you be gathered together and hand joyn in hand, yet the vvicked shall not go unpunish∣ed; * 1.24 novv this is sad nevves to you, that are found vvith∣out the Camp of the Lord, for it is novv fruits that he is now looking for, and righteousnesse that his soule delights in, and the heart that he requires; therefore hear this ye * 1.25 professors of what sort soever, who are out of the life and power of God, unto which every soule is to be sub∣ject, * 1.26 unto this power you are not brought, nor a sub∣jection to it you do not know, but are under the power * 1.27 of the Prince of the ayre which rules in you whereby some of you are led into pride, others into enmity, others in∣to abominable lyeing and false accuseing the Innocent without a cause, now I know he who hath led you into these things will not let you confesse it, nor own that * 1.28 which condemns you secretly for it, but will bring Scrip∣ture for his own ends (as he did to Christ) and say I should not judge; but I say the righteous loveth judge∣ment, but the wicked cannot stand in it; and the Saints shall judge the world, and the Spiritual man judgeth all things, and he himselfe is udged of no man, and your actions is to be condemned with the light, and troden upon as dirt in the streets, with them who are in the pow∣er of God? Oh how the seed of God is oppressed amongst you, that even the cry thereof hath entered into the ear of the Lord of Sabbaths, vvho is novv risen to avenge his ovvn cause, and to plead vvith you who are in the flesh, and are not only enemies to the seed of God in your selvs, but your rage abundantly apperrs towards any in whom it doth arise, to rule and guide them in the vvay that is call∣ed holy; your abominations are increased, and your transgressions cannot be numbred, the Lord is weary vvith your sacrifices, they are an abomination unto him; for no sooner have you done that you call your sacrifice, * 1.29 if there be any in whom the seed of God is brought forth, that are sent of him ro declare against your abominations,

before they can be suffered to speak the words of truth in sobernesse, you like doggs, and swine, Wolves, and Lions, * 1.30 do fall upon the Lambs of Christ, (who wrongeth no man neither can you lay any thing justly to their charge,) and pulls, and hails them out of your Assemblies even ready to * 1.31 take their bloud as Cain did, and casts into prison such without any cause at all; are these a Company of sheep, or of doggs, and Swine, yea, or nay? And is not this Cains way * 1.32 that you are found in, and is your sacrifice more accepted of the Lord then his was? why are you so wroth & envious? they that learn of Christ are meek, when they are smitten smites not again, or doe you ever read that any of them ha••led out of their Assemblies, or persecuted, or imprison∣ned any? What administration do you live under? Answer in plainness, if you say you are Christians, shew where such actions were acted among Christians; if not, confess it openly, and doe not play the Hypocrite; Read and see if your eies be not wholly blinded by the God of the World whom Yee worship and serve, who was an accuser of the brethren from the beginning, and an envious man; Is not all out of order amongst you, your children wild and rude in the evil communication which corrupts the good man∣ners, * 1.33 brought up out of the fear of God, like wilde Colts, mocking, scoffing, stoneing, deriding, and scorning * 1.34 the Servants of the Lord in your Streets, so that those that neither doth, nor speaketh any thing to you that is evil, are daily by you abused both by words and actions as they pass peaceably along the Streets; are not you that are Pa∣rents * 1.35 or Masters to such ashamed of such things (or doe you not delight in such things,) your selves, and incourage your children and servants in it, What doe you think will be the end of these things, doe you not think the Lord scornes the scornfull, or what is it your malice is so much against?

And again, is not your young men and maids uncivill, blaspheming the name of the Lord, daily following youth∣ful * 1.36 pleasures, living wantonly upon the earth, scoffing,

and scorning them that cannot partake with them in their filthy pleasures, which will be bitter in the end, and are they not inventing how to make themselves glorious in the sight of the World, not remembring their Creator in the * 1.37 daies of their youth, but following after pride and vanity which corrupts youth, and leads out of the Moderation, which they who fear the Lord are in, and are adorned with a meek and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the sight of God. And doth not your Women array themselves in costly apparell, in gold and pearle, contrary to the Apo∣stles * 1.38 command, and doe not they goe in hoods, and vailes, scarfes, and rings, and changable Suits of Apparell, and walking with stretched out necks, and wanton eies, making * 1.39 a mincing as they goe, and a tinkling with their feet; and their broadered hair; that they can scarce tell how to goe they are so proud, and puft up in the lust of the Flesh, even such (if not worse) as the Lord sent his plagues, and judg∣ments upon. Read Isa. 3. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26.

Therefore hear this all you that are found in this path, the Lord will take away your bravery, and instead thereof he will cover you with contempt, and he will bring down the haughtiness of man and woman, and will lay your ho∣nour * 1.40 in the dust; and scatter you as chaff is scattered with the Wind, because you have cast his righteous Law behind your backs, and hath walked despightfully against the Spi∣rit of Grace; Who hath been warned like unto you? hath not the Lord sent his Servants earlie and late to forewarn You of the Judgement that he hath intended against You because of Your manie transgressions; whereby You daily provoke him to anger; even to sweep You all awaie with the besome of destruction?

And have not You executed Your cruelty upon his mes∣sengers in mocking, scoffing, spitting upon, hailing to pri∣son * 1.41 them that have been sent in tender love unto your Souls, to call You to Repentance, and to seek the Lord while he may be found: but You may say, You doe not this

to the servants of Christ, but to Vagabonds and Wander∣ers, Deluders, and Deceivers, and the Ringleaders of the Sect of the Quakers, (as You in scorn calls them) which is every where spoken against, and hailed out of the Syna∣gogues, and persecuted, and cast into prison, but all this while cannot see Your selves as blind as Your Forefathers the Persecutors was, and as ignorant of God, and his works as Cain the Vagabond was, vvho vvas in Envie as you are, though he builded the first Cittie to make bimself an habi∣tation, * 1.42 God called him a Vagabond, Gen. 4. 12. but he did not call his Son a Vagabond, vvho had not vvhereon to lay his head, nor his Son did not call them vvhich vvent a∣bout in Sheep skins, and goat skins, and had no certain * 1.43 dvvelling place, he did not call such Vagabonds, vvho had a habitation vvhere neither Cain nor any of his stock hath, but you are the Vagabonds rightly named vvho are in envie and vvrath, vvho hath great habitations in the earth as he had, but are driven out from the presence of the Lord into pride and highmindedness, and into the Earth, and its pleasure, and treasure, laying up treasure there, but are ignorant of the true treasure vvhich they have in ear∣then * 1.44 vessels vvhich vvander up and dovvn, and are made a prey upon by you, vvho are in Cains vvay, and in God hath not an habitation, but are vvandering starres, vvan∣dering * 1.45 up and dovvn in the Element of your imaginations, out of one fashion and vanitie of the World into another; and here are you scattered upon the mountains of Pride and high mindedness, in the clouds of darkness, and stops your eares at the true Shepheards voice, vvho would gather you off from the barren mountains into the lovv vallies, to feed among his Lambs, and to drink of the fresh foun∣tain of living Water, but this You loath, and vvill not hear of, but loves to vvallovv vvith the Svvine in the filth, and mire, therefore vvill Your condemnation be just, and the Lord vvill be clear of Your blood.

Again, is not the harmless and innocent children of the Lord vvhom he hath placed his Name in, and hath set as * 1.46

Witnesses against you, as he did Lot in Sodom; whom you have nothing justly to lay to their charge, are not such by * 1.47 you abused as Lot was, scoffed and scorned at, stoned in the Streets and spitted upon, who cannot goe with you in∣to the same excess of riot, doe you think the Lord doth * 1.48 not take notice of this? Yea, surely one day ye shall know that it had been better for you that a milstone had been hanged about your necks, and you cast into the midst of * 1.49 the sea, then to offend one of the least of his, who is the good Shepherd, but because Judgement is not executed up∣on * 1.50 you speedily, therefore are your hearts bent in you to doe wickedly; but this know, that there is a Witness in eve∣ry one of your consciences, that takes notice of all your waies and actings; therefore once more I warn you from the Lord to repent and turn unto the Lord, and put off your bravery of your tinkling ornaments, and put on sackcloth, and sit down in the dust, if so be you may be hid in the day of the fierce indignation of the Lord, and cease to doe evil, and learn to doe well, lest the overflowing scourge of the Lord sweep you all away, for his sword is * 1.51 drawn, and his bow bent, and his arrowes are made very sharp, and will fall grievously upon the head of the wicked * 1.52 and how can you escape when he appears, who will plead with you by his Sword, and by Fire, and will render to every man according to his works, without * 1.53 respect of persons, and then shall you all know that you had warning in your life time, by them which you hated and persecuted; scoffed and scorned; so while you have time prize it, and sleight not the day of your Visitation, nor the mercie of the Lord to your Souls, least you be shut out among the Unbe∣lievers into utter darkness, where is weeping, wailing, * 1.54 and gnashing of teeth for ever.

I charge you as you will answer it to the Lord, search these Scriptures out, which are quoted, and read them in the fear of God; and try your teachers, and your fruits, whether they be according to them which spoke forth Scriptures, Yea, or Nay, for every tree is known by his fruits, and so are the false prophets from the true, Matth. 7, 20.

Written by me whom you greatly hate, because I am sent to bear testi∣mony against your abominations, and by you am I called a Quaker, but tho∣row the tender mercy of the Lord, am I made partaker of the Divine nature, * 1.55 and onely known to the world by the name of

Ambrose Rigge.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohn 3. 19, 20, 21. Psalm. 73, 18. Iohn 2. 8, 9. 1 Iohn 1. 5.
• * 1.2

  Dan. 3. 23. 1 Pet. 2. 6, 7, 8.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 9. 33.
• * 1.4

  2 Tim. 1. 3. 4. Isa. 48. 22.
• * 1.5

  Ezek. 10. 49.
• * 1.6

  Ier. 6. 13, 14, 15.
• * 1.7

  Ezek. 13, 10, i1, 12, 13, 14, 15.
• * 1.8

  Matt. 23, 27, 28. Matt, 7. 19, 20. Heb. 6. 8.
• * 1.9

  2 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• * 1.10

  Ier. 23. i1. Hosea 4. 9.
• * 1.11

  Matt. 7. 15, 16, 17.
• * 1.12

  Ezek. 34. i0.
• * 1.13

  Matt. 23. Ier, 23. 30, 3i,
• * 1.14

  Matt. 7, 21.
• * 1.15

  Ier. 23. 22.
• * 1.16

  Acts 26. 18. 1 Cor. 4 20.
• * 1.17

  Isa. 35. 8, 9, 10,
• * 1.18

  Matt 7 13. Iohn 8. 44.
• * 1.19

  Deut. 18. 15.
• * 1.20

  Iohn 1. 45. Iohn 7. 37. 38.
• * 1.21

  Acts 3. 22.
• * 1.22

  Isa. 28 1.
• * 1.23

  Prov. 1. 5.
• * 1.24

  Matt. 3 8, 10.
• * 1.25

  Prov. 23. 16.
• * 1.26

  Rom. 13. 1.
• * 1.27

  Ephe. 2. 2.
• * 1.28

  Ezek. 23. 45. Dan 7. ••2. 1. Cor. 6. 2. i: Cor: 2. 16.
• * 1.29

  Isa. 1. 12, 13, 14, 15. Prov. 15. 8.
• * 1.30

  Mat. 23. 34, 35
• * 1.31

  Luk. 19. 3.
• * 1.32

  Gen. 4. 5.
• * 1.33

  1 Cor. 15. 33.
• * 1.34

  Ephes. 6. 4.
• * 1.35

  Titus 2. 2, 3.
• * 1.36

  Titus 2. 4. 5, 6. Psal. 119. 9.
• * 1.37

  Eccl. 12. 1.
• * 1.38

  1 Tim. 2. 9. 10. 1 Pet: 3. 2, 3, 4.
• * 1.39

  Isa: 3. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26.
• * 1.40

  Isa: 2. 11, 12, 13, 17. Isa: 10. 33.
• * 1.41

  Math: 23. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39.
• * 1.42

  Gen. ••. 12.
• * 1.43

  Heb. 11. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 40.
• * 1.44

  2 Cor. 4. 7.
• * 1.45

  Isa: 59. 15.
• * 1.46

  Phill. 2. i5.
• * 1.47

  1 Joh•• 3. ••••.
• * 1.48

  1 Pet: 4. 4.
• * 1.49

  John 15. 19.
• * 1.50

  Math: 18. 6. Eccl: 8. 11.
• * 1.51

  Isa. i. 16, 17.
• * 1.52

  Amos 5. 14, 15, 16.
• * 1.53

  Math. 16. 27.
• * 1.54

  Math. 8. 12.
• * 1.55

  2 Pet. 1. 4.