SOME ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE, SUFFERINGS AND, TESTIMONIES, OF THAT FAITHFUL ELDER AND ANCIENT MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST, AMBROSE RIGGE, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 31st oF THE ELEVENTH MONTH, 1704. The Lord knoweth the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be for ever.-PSALMS xxxvii. 18. George Whitehead's TESTIMONY concerning AMBROSE RIGGE. WE having for many years been acquainted, (as he was my countryman and loving friend) we loved as brethren from the first, after we received the love of the Truth-which he retained; and being faithful to the Lord, according to his gift, was made partaker of the gospel ministry and testimony, by the word of eternal life, and faithfully laboured therein with fervent zeal to promote truth and righteousness; whereby the Lord made him instrumental in convincing and converting many souls to Christ and his righteousness. The Lord gave him not only to believe, and to declare his name and gospel truth, but also patiently to suffer for the same. Besides the persecutions he suffered in the commonwealth's days, by severe stripes, &c., his many years imprisonment in Horsham jail in Sussex, after king Charles II. was restored to the crown, doubtless was one of the greatest trials; yet the Lord greatly supported and strengthened him, and many other innocent sufferers in those days. to the king, and he granted us liberty to come before him and his council, the next council day in the same week. Accordingly we were admitted, and appeared before the king and a full council, where I had liberty fully to plead the innocent cause of our friends in the prisons, and the reason of their not swearing allegiance to the king; it being really matter of conscience to them not to swear at all in any case, &c. The king answered, I will pardon them; that is, discharge them from the penalties of the laws, and their estates from confiscation, which had been forfeited by the judgment of premunire. This was to be done by the king's letters patent under the great seal of England, which I was constrained to follow and solicit, through the several offices which such letters patent pass, before effected; which took me up near six months time and labour to get thoroughly effected and executed, so as to release Friends out of prison, and re-convey their estates forfeited. However, I was truly glad and thankful to God when it was obtained and done. And so was this my dear friend and brother Ambrose Rigge, with many more faithful friends In the year 1672, a concern greatly fell upon and brethren, who had long deeply suffered. I me to have the king moved for the releasement remember he would often mention the same to of many faithful Friends and brethren who then me with grateful acknowledgement of my kindhad been long confined in prisons; as I knew ness and industry to obtain that liberty for this our ancient friend and brother was, and him and many others, being above 480 in all, Thomas Taylor, William Dewsberry, and many released out of prisons. He was of a loving others, throughout England and Wales; many and grateful spirit and temper, and not apt to whereof were under sentence of premunire. forget acts of kindness; knowing how comOur friend Thomas Moore, thereupon deliver-fortable true love and brotherly kindness are, ed a paper of mine to the king, in behalf of the and how happy and pleasant a thing it is for prisoners; and soon after that, I went with him brethren to live therein. VOL. XII.-No. 5. 24 He loved unity, peace and concord, and hated believe and hope that we shall rejoice and strife, divisions and discord, and was zealous triumph together in Christ, with his church against the sowers thereof. He truly loved his triumphant in his heavenly kingdom and glory ancient brethren who kept their dominion in the for ever. Truth; and as he loved union, peace and concord in the churches of Christ and laboured for the promotion and increase thereof, we had sweet society therein, even in true brotherly love and kindness, blessed be the Lord our God, for his great kindness and love in his dear Son And as therein we have been sufferers, and spiritual warriors for his name and truth in his church militant here on earth, I firmly to us. I was at the funeral of our ancient friend and brother Ambrose Rigge at Rygate, which was accompanied with a great concourse, and with solemnity, in which the Lord's presence and power did attend us, and bless our assembly. For he was a man that had obtained a good report, and left a sweet savour of truth and honesty behind him. GEORGE WHITEHEAD. London, the 25th of the Second month, 1709. A TRUE RELATION OF AMBROSE RIGGE, BY WAY OF JOURNAL. A TRUE relation of the first manifestation of being in the kingdom and power of darkness, I the love of God in Christ Jesus unto me. To saw no way of deliverance, but still remained the best of my remembrance, when I was about under the bondage of corruption. Then when ten or twelve years of age, the Lord touched I could write, I took much delight in writing my heart with a sense of my latter end, which I the priest's sermons, and as I went home got often deeply considered when I was at the free- them without book, so that I had gathered much school among my school-fellows. I often thought into my knowledge, but still remained a of my Creator, and of his great work in the stranger to the life of Christ, which my soul creation, and that to him all must give an ac- breathed after, and was without God in the count of their deeds, whether good or evil; yet world, wandering from mountain to hill, yet being daily conversant with my playmates, I found no rest for the sole of my foot. In this was led into wantonness and play, and many condition I remained till I was sixteen years of youthful pleasures, in the midst of which I was age, running from one high-priest to another, often smitten by the rod of God, though I knew expecting to receive that from them which my him not. Yet one thing did somewhat comfort soul thirsted after, but still remained unsatisfied. me, that I abhorred vain and desperate oaths and They were to me physicians of no value, drunkenness, which I saw many were swallow-though they bid me apply the promises and get ed up withal, who were my companions; for faith. Yet both they and I being ignorant of there was an hatred in my heart of such things. the word of faith, which the apostle preached, Being brought up to read the Scriptures from a nigh in the heart, Rom. x. 8. through the child, and thinking therein to find something of hearing of which, faith comes to be received; life; but being a stranger to Him in whom life I knew not that unto which the promise of life was and is, I was still in darkness and the re- was, and found that ruling in me unto which gion of the shadow of death. Yet I found them the promise of life was not. So that whatsodeclaring of the day of the Lord that should ever plaster was applied to me while the corburn as an oven, wherein all the proud, and all ruption was not purged out, was of no value as who did wickedly, should be as stubble, and the to my cure; for, from the crown of my head, day that cometh should leave them neither root to the sole of my foot, I was full of bruises and nor branch, Mal. iv. and many such places; putrefying sores, so that I was often loathsome which I believed were true, and would come to to myself. Yet not knowing how to be healed, pass. Notwithstanding I was not so overcome I sought further, and met with some books that of gross evils, yet I daily found sin reigning did somewhat suit my condition, which I took and ruling in me, and leading me captive into delight to read, and gathered a form of prayer, divers lusts and vain pleasures, which became which I often used in private, with many earmy great burthen; under which I often groaned nest breathings to the Lord, that if he had any and cried to the Lord for deliverance. But blessing to bestow upon me on earth, he would show me his way of Truth. For I plainly saw that many of the priests were as bad as myself, and some worse, and so could expect no good fruit from evil trees. Then I turned from them, and went after others, who were a little more refined, and thought from them to have more satisfaction, but found none, but was sensible that my wounds grew more and more putrefied; and that which the best of them had applied, proved no relief at all to me, nor proper at all to my distemper. So then my soul often mourned to the Lord in secret, for the knowledge of his way, desiring neither riches nor honour in the world; but that I might know the good Physician, who could make me every whit whole, which was of more value to me than all the treasures of Egypt. Though some youthful pleasures prevailed over me, which kept me above the witness of God in me, yet had I secret reproofs, which caused sadness in the midst of my joy. And though I was as a wild heifer, unaccustomed to the yoke, yet I was always preserved from gross evils, by him whom I now knew to be my strength, though I had many occasions and provocations thereunto, glory, honour, and living praises unto the Lord God, and to the Lamb for evermore. took heed to the word of faith, which was nigh in my heart, the day began more and more to spring from on high, and the day star to appear in my heart. Then the foggy mists of the night began to vanish away, and the day star went before me, till it led me to see him, whom I had pierced. And then a day of bitterness came upon me, and I was in sorrow as a man for his only son, and judgment began to be laid to the line in me, and righteousness to the plummet; so that I said in the morning, would God it were evening; and in the evening, would God it were morning, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, who was arisen to shake terribly the earth. But in the midst of all, it was said, I will not break a bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, till I have brought forth judgment into victory. In the belief of this, I waited long upon the Lord in the way of his judgments, until I felt his mercy spring unto me, which was manifested in me. So then I became as a stranger to my near relations; for my father and mother forsook me; my friends and acquaintance stood afar off, wondering at me, and I was a hissing to many; and I was sorely beaten by those who formerly would have hugged me, because I now feared the Lord, and trembled at his word; yea, and at the last I was cast out of all which might administer comfort to my outward man; so that for some time I had not whereon to lay my head. Then I walked about in solitary places, being compassed with many and sore temptations, both inwardly and outwardly; in AFTER my long travail in the night of dark- the midst of which, the Lord spake comfortably ness and ignorance, wherein I had toiled and unto me, and said, Fear not, I will be with thee taken nothing, it pleased the Lord of his infi- and care for thee; which did refresh my soul nite goodness and tender mercy to me and and bear up my spirit. But sometimes looking many more, to send his true and faithful mes-out at the prosperity of the wicked, my foot had senger, George Fox, into our parts, who published the everlasting gospel. He said we had a light, unto which we did well to take heed, until the day dawned, and the day star arose in our hearts; which was glad tidings to us, who so long had sat in darkness and blindness of mind. This testimony I then both believed and received, not because it was his testimony alone, but because it was indeed the testimony of the word of God, which became quick and powerful in me, and sharper than a two-edged sword, to the cutting down of the man of sin, which had long ruled in my heart; with which there was a great and long warfare before the strong man was overcome, that a stronger than he might rule. Many and strange were his wiles, and strong was his temptation to overthrow that little measure of faith, which the Lord had wrought in my heart by hearing the word, through which I came to have some small victory over him and his power, by which he had long led me captive at his will; but as I The way and manner of my first coming to the knowledge of the Truth, and way of peace, which had been the breathing of my soul from my youth. well nigh slipt; and withal, considering the many troubles that I was compassed with. But the good Shepherd drew me in again with his crook, and made me lie down among the sheep of his pasture, where I found fresh pastures and living streams, which renewed my strength as the morning; and I became strong in spirit, and in the faith of the Son of God, by which I obtained victory and freedom in my own particular, over that which long had victory over me. Yet, as I said above, my father and mother stood far from me, and I became as a stranger to my mother's children; but the Lord regarded me, and had respect unto me, and gave me more and more of his good Spirit to direct my steps, that my feet did not slide. Often, when I was alone, temptation was sore upon me, and did strongly beset me; yet I still did resolve in my breast to follow the Lamb whithersoever he went; and whatsoever sufferings overtook me, I would never deny the Truth, which the Lord had so clearly manifested to t me. Then I concluded to go to London and tempted to go back into our own country again, take some employment amongst Friends; and for they told us many dangers were before us, something was very forward in me so to do; if we went forward. Yet we consulted not but yet the Lord would not suffer me, but with flesh and blood, but went forward in the counselled me to stay and wait, until he called name and power of God, till we came to Dome forth. So I waited a season, and at length ver, where there was an open door to us, and the word of the Lord came unto me, which the Lord also opened our mouths to publish said, Thou shalt go forth into the south to be a the everlasting gospel, though in weakness, witness unto my name, for which thou shalt suffer many things; but I will be with thee. This seemed hard to me at first; and I could much more willingly have stayed at home; so I bore and weighed it a pretty while, before I related it to any, yet never concluding to disobey the Lord's word, whatever I suffered, if I saw him still requiring this of me. At length I was greatly pressed in spirit day and night, so that neither my sleep, nor any other enjoy. ment was pleasant to me, till I freely gave up to part with all to follow the leadings of the Lord. When I did freely answer his requirings, I felt his arm stretched out over me, and the light of his countenance was upon me; so that the parting with my father and mother, my friends and acquaintance, with my native country, was little in comparison of that joy which was set before me. fear, and in much trembling; yet thereby several were turned from darkness to the light, and from the power of satan to God, in order to receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified. From thence we came to Folkstone, where some received us and believed, and were gathered to God. And we passed to Hyde and Rumney, where several received our testimony, unto whom the arm of God was revealed, through which they were gathered from the barren mountains into the low valleys. At Lydd we found Samuel Fisher, a pastor of a congregation of the Baptists, with whom we had discourse, he being a great scholar, and having formerly been a parish priest, but one who waited for the coming of the kingdom of God in power. He received our testimony, and was willing to become a fool, that he might be made wise to salvation, and from a teacher came to learn, and so received wisdom and spiritual understanding, to become a preacher of righteousness, in which he lived and died. Then was a fellow-traveller prepared for me, viz., Thomas Robertson of Westmoreland, who was made willing to leave his dear wife and tender babes, to go with me into the Lord's harvest. We took our journey about the time After his convincement we came to Staplecalled Easter, in the year 1655, and through hurst, where we found a great congregation of much reproach and hard travel on foot, came Seekers, so called, among whom we had good to London; and after a little stay, it was upon service; many of them being convinced, with us to pass further southward. So early in the their teacher, his wife and children, who lived morning we took water, and passed down the and died in the faith. The harvest grew so Thames, towards Gravesend, and in the boat great, and the labourers being few, we were were divers passengers with us, who perceiv- forced to separate one from the other; and one ing what we were, did exceedingly scoff, and of us to take that care and charge which both shamefully entreat us, till on a sudden a great did before. But after we had a little cleared ship came running with full sail before the ourselves of that county, it was upon us to wind, and was near to run over the boat in pass through the western counties nearly two which they and we were. This did so terrify hundred miles, to proclaim the acceptable day them, that their laughter was turned into fear of the Lord in towns, cities and villages, which and horror, which made them quake far more we gave up to do. Being parted one from the than us, whom before they had reproached other, Thomas Robertson was two or three under that name. The danger was so imminent, days' journey before me; but both of us being that the boatman had much ado to save him- as strangers and pilgrims in the earth, and self; yet the Lord delivered us, and brought us having none to direct us but the Lord alone, safely on shore at Gravesend, and from thence we were driven to many straits outwardly; we travelled to Rochester; where it was laid but in all we were supplied with courage and upon us to go to a Baptist meeting, at which strength to undergo whatever was laid upon us. we were apprehended by soldiers, and brought Thomas Robertson passed before me through before the governor, who examined us, and the county of Sussex, only I heard of him ac. finding we were north countrymen, said we cidentally near Chichester, at a house by the might pass no further without a certificate, and committed us prisoners. But there being one of our own countrymen, a soldier in the place, who gave testimony of our honesty in our own country, we were freed; but withal, much way side, at which I called to get a little water to quench my thirst. The woman began to tell me of a man who called there two or three days before, whose words gave me to understand that it was my companion. When I had drank, I passed into the city on the seventh-day ries, because we had no money, and we could at night; and on the first-day I was moved to not eat any man's bread for naught. When go to the Baptist meeting, where I declared the the people cried out upon them, they brought word of Truth, though with much opposition; us our money; and the jailer would have eight which testimony some received, and some re- pence a night for a nasty bed which stood in jected. But after a little time the mayor of the the room; and when we could not satisfy his city having notice given of me, sent the con- desire, he caused it to be taken away. So we stable to bring me before him. When I came got some straw, and laid upon it all the time without respecting his person by putting off the we continued there. The jailer caused boards hat, he was in a great rage, and sent for one to be nailed before the window, that we might called a justice; who, when he came, took off not see the light, and at night would not suffer my hat himself, and commanded men to search us to have a candle or fire. All which we me, saying, I was a Jesuit, or one come from bore with patience, till they were weary of Rome; and would have committed me to the their cruelty; by which several, both in town Gatehouse forthwith, but the Lord turned their and country, were convinced of the Truth, and hearts; so that after some discourse they freed remained therein. And there they kept us me. After which I got a meeting at the inn; nearly a quarter of a year, and at their sessions so the next morning I left the city and came freed us. into Hampshire, and from thence into Wiltshire, and all through the country till I came near to Bristol, before I saw the face of a Friend. The strength of my body was well nigh spent with travel; but meeting with some Friends, I was revived and strengthened; and staying there a little space, I was pressed in spirit to go forward. I came to Bristol, and from thence to Exeter, where were two brethren of my country in prison; and going to visit them, Thomas Robertson and I met together again in safety, after our long journey, and in that city we stayed some small time, declaring the Truth; but they stopped their ears, and hardened their hearts against truth and us; so that we shook off the dust of their city as a witness against them, and came away again for Bristol, where we had service. When we were clear of the town, we were moved to pass for Southampton, where the Lord opened a door unto us, and his word was effectual in us, to the turning of a remnant from darkness to the light, who walk in it to this day. Thomas Robertson left me, and went to Portsmouth, and gave a testimony there; after whom I went and stayed near ten days, and had good service. On the first-day I was moved to go to the steeple-house, to bear testimony against their worship, at which the priests and rulers were offended; and on the second day, as I was passing out of town, I was apprehended by soldiers, and had before the gov ernor, who would have prosecuted me as a vagrant, but could not find matter enough so to do, but sent me out of town with a constable; but after a little time I returned again, and then they received the word of God with gladness, and a meeting was established there. With much difficulty I got into the Isle of Wight, where some were added to the Lord's flock; and the Lord delivered me out of the hands of unreasonable men. From thence I came over into Hampshire, and passed from town to town, and from village to village; and the Lord was with me, and made his word effectual in my mouth, to the turning of many to righteousness, in which they were established. From thence we came to Reading, and stayed a little season; and from thence we were moved to go to Basingstoke in Hampshire, where, through some difficulty, we obtained a meeting; but before the people were all come together, the chief priest and rulers came, who caused us to be haled out of the meeting, and tendered us the oath of abjuration; and because, for conscience sake, we could not swear, they carried us forthwith to prison. But before they put us into the room, they separated us one from the other, and searched us, and took away After I had continued among them for a our money, linen, and ink-horns-then they season, I came into Sussex, where I had good thought of some way to keep us apart; but service, and a great gathering there was to the not having two rooms bad enough, they thrust Truth; and many received the word of God us down together into a low strait room, and with joy, and met often together; in whose locked us close up, and appointed two rude meetings God manifested his presence and men with halberds to watch over us within the power in a large measure, among whom my prison all night, and in the morning freed them, soul was refreshed. But after a little time I and shut us close, and gave a command, that if was moved to go back again into Hampshire, any of our friends came but upon the ground, to water the tender plants there. When I had before the prison-door to visit us, they should be fined. There they kept us nigh three days before they brought us our money; in all which time we could not call for any necessa done this, I was pressed in spirit to go into Dorsetshire, to Weymouth and Melcomb-Regis; and there I was moved to go to a steeple-house, to declare against an hireling priest; for which |