A General EPISTLE Of Universal Love and Good Will  
To all the Families of the Earth, who are seeking the Lord, and enquiring after the Knowledge of him, whom to know is Eternal Life, whether they be in Forms of Worship, or without, or suppose they have got above all Forms, etc.  
WITH DIRECTIONS.  
How, and by what means, the Saving Knowledge of God is again Restored, and where he may be found; and how, from the Lest to the Greatest, all may attain to the Knowledge of Him, according to his Promise, by the Apostle.  Hebrews VIII. 8, 9, 10, 11. 
Behold the days come (saith the Lord) when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel, and with the House of Judah.  
Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt; because they continued not in my Covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord  
For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my Laws into their Mind, and writ them in their Hearts: And I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People.  
And they shall not teach every Man his Neighbour, and every Man his Brother, saying, Know the Lord: For all shall know me from the lest to the greatest, etc.  
THis is the Gospel Covenant, where the Law is put in the Mind, and writ in the Heart, by the Finger of God (here the outward Priests Lips are not to keep the People's knowledge, as in the time of the Law, and First Covenant, but universal Knowledge promised, by the Lip of Truth, to the lest as well as the greatest) which, who receiveth and embraceth in our day, will not longer spend their Money, nor their Labour, for that which will not profit them, Isa. 55. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. being ever learning, and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth, 2 Tim. 3. to verse 7.  
But it hath been the great Unhappiness of all Mankind in the Fall, thereby to loose the Knowledge of God. And as the Serpent prevailed with Eve, to break Covenant with God, and from her to Adam, whereby they were driven from the Presence of God, which had been a Fountain of Life to them: Even so he hath prevailed with the Generality of Mankind, to slight and disregard that which God hath ordained to Restore them again to the true and saving Knowledge of the true and living God: Though they are seeking him in divers Forms and Manners of Worship, and that with Zeal too; yet being Ignorant of that, in and by which the Lord was always known and manifested: They Pray in vain, Preach in vain, and seek the Face of God in vain.  
For their sakes, chief, am I drawn forth, to discover openly what the Lord hath made known to me in secret, who have been upon the barren Mountains, seeking the Living among the Dead, as well as others.  
The first Promise that was made to Mankind (of Restoration out of this miserable fallen State, Gen. 3. 15.) was in and by that Promised Seed, which was to bruise the Serpent's Head; of which Seed all the righteous Generations, from Adam, did partake; as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the Patriarches and Prophets.  
And to Abraham in his Seed was the Promise made to all the Families of the Earth, Gen. 12. 3. of Blessing and Restoration, out of the Curse, which came on Man in the Fall. And this Seed and Spirit of Life was the principal Instructor and Leader of all the holy Men of God, in and before the First Covenant, in all the Statutes and Judgements which the Lord set before them, which they were to do and Live. By the opening of this Spirit of Life and Prophecy, Moses prophesied of Christ, Deut. 18. 15, 16, 17, 18. And Abraham offered his Son, Gen. 22. This instructed the Prophets in all their Prophecies, and led Israel, who obeyed it, through the Wilderness, Nehem. 9 19, 20. and was to them as a Pillar of a Cloud by Day, and a Pillar of Fire by Night, Numb. 14. 14.  
And by this Daniel expounded to King Belshazzar the Handwriting that was against him, Dan. 5. 11. And the holy Prophets, unto Malachi, which had Knowledge of the Coming of Christ, it was by this: Of this Seed came all the Branches of Righteousness that ever grew up in any Generations of the World: And unto this Seed (Christ, his Light and Spirit of Life) must all Nations of the World come, that the Head of the Serpent may be bruised, and subdued with it, in every Male and Female, if ever they be Restored to Life in Christ again, and to the saving Knowledge of God; whose Kingdom is compared to the lest of all Seeds, in its first appearance; and therefore was likened to a Grain of Mustard Seed, Mat. 13. 31. But if the Seed of the Kingdom grow up in Male and Female, it will become the greatest, and its Branches will spread, and its Fruit will be Righteousness; the effect of which is Peace and assurance for ever.  
And now to you all who are scattered upon the barren Mountains of empty Profession, and are yet Strangers to this Seed and Spirit of Life: Know of a Truth, that while ye remain such, you are without God in the World, feeding upon the empty Husks among them, who (like Swine) wallow in the Mire of Uncleanness, and Pollutions of the World.  
Arise, arise, and shake of your Night Garments, for they will not longer Cover your Nakedness, and lift up your Eyes, and behold the arising of the Morning Star of Righteousness in your Hearts, which will lead you to the Son of the Father's Love, whom he hath now raised in order to Rule and Reign in the Hearts of the Children of Men, till he hath subdued all his Enemies, that he alone may have the Government, whose Right it is: And all who will not that he should thus Reign are his Enemies; he will slay them, let their Profession, and Confession of him [in words] be what it will: For he is arising to search his Jerusalem with Candles, and the flying Roul of his Wrath is entering into the House of the Unclean, and him that worketh Iniquity, and shall consume it with the Stones and Timber thereof.  
Therefore sweep Iniquity and Uncleanness out of your Houses, if you intent they shall be preserved; for your greatest Enemies are them within (in your own Hearts) and while they remain there, they will Corrupt all your Sacrifices, as David said, If I regard Iniquity in my Heart, the Lord will not hear my Prayer, Psalm 66. 18. And your lost piece of Money in your own Houses, Luke 15. 8. (i e. your own Hearts) you will not found, till ye sweep them by the Besom of God's Power, and purge out the old Leaven of Uncleanness there.  
O therefore, Come home, come home, and look into the dark Corners of your Hearts by the Candle of God's Word, and there you will found the Body of Sin and Death, and the Root of Bitterness and Enmity to God, by the appearance of his Beloved Son. Oh! Let the Axe of God's Power be laid to this Root; for the Day of the Everlasting Gospel is dawned, and its Power known, which (as received, owned and obeyed) shall Root up the Body of Sin, Death and Darkness, and thereby shall bring Life and Immortality to Light, which the false Gospel could not, nor can never do.  
The great Master of the Vineyard is now come to look for Fruits, and every Plant and Grafted in his Vineyard, that bringeth not forth good Fruit, he will hue down and cast into the Fire: For he is Just, as well as Merciful, and will not longer be mocked with an empty Show of Holiness, and vain Profession of Righteousness, while your Fruits gives your Profession the Lie: His Kingdom stands in Righteousness, and without it, and the Works of it brought forth in Life and Conversation, no Man shall see God to his Eternal Comfort, nor receive an Inheritance among them who are sanctified, but as they are sanctified through the Obedience of Faith, and Renewing of the Holy Ghost.  
You have been long Coveting the Husk, and no Man would give it you, as the poor Prodigal, Luke 15. 16. Return now to your Father's House, the Light in which God dwells, 1 Tim. 6. 16. that he may meet you, and prepare a Feast of fat things for you, for his love is the same, and his Rolling Bowels is not lessened to all his Prodigal Children, who with unseigned Repentance return to his House; the Light is his House for ever: And all Nations, Kindred's and Tongues must come to this House, where his Honour remains and dwells; if ever they Eat of his Dainties, and of the Fullness and Fatness of his Tabernacle; Jacob dwelled in this House, and it was as a Fire; and also Joseph, and it was as a Flame, and Esau who inhabited Mount Seir, his House was as Stubble, and no remains thereof was, nor is to be left by the Word of the Lord, Obediah, 18.  
And the Church is coming out of the Wilderness (where Esau dwells) leaning on the breast of her beloved, who is embracing her in the Arms of Divine Love, leading her through many Tribulations, in which he will purify her as Gold, seven times tried in the Fire.  
And now you who are seeking the Lord in what way of outward Worship soever, behold and receive the Lamp of Righteousness, which God hath lighted in you, and consider the Parable, Luke 15. and return home and purge out the uncleaness of your own Houses (i e.) your Hearts (by the Right Hand of God's Power, which he is daily stretching out to you) of all the Defilements and Corruptions, which the Enemy of your Souls hath filled them withal, than (and not till than) shall ye found him to be the Redeemer of your Souls, the Knowledge of whom hath been lost in your own Houses, and covered out of your Sight under the Corruptions of your own Hearts; and the Enemy of your eternal Peace hath led you out to seek him, among the Lo Here's an Lo There's, without, where he was never found: And upon this Account, Christ said, Luke 13. 14. Many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able.  
For, whosoever seeks and strives to enter in, and not by Christ the Door, who is the true Light, that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, by which the Door is seen, and the Entrance known into Life Eternal, is a Thief and a Robber: For the Corruption within must be cast out, and the strong Man armed (who hath long kept the Heart) dispossed, before ever Man can enter the Kingdom of Righteousness, or Man and Woman be Born again of the Incorruptible Seed, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.  
This Birth cometh not by the Will of Man, nor in the Will of the Flesh, but by the Will of God, and delighteth in his Law, Statutes and Judgements, crying Abba Father, and seeks not his Face in vain, the Prayer of this Seed and Birth he heareth and answereth; this seeketh and findeth, because Innocency is its Garment, and Righteousness its Breastplate.  
This Birth, in whomsoever it appeareth, is hated of the World, and set at naught by the hired Builders thereof, whose greatest Gain is their Godliness, and through Covetousness, with feigned words, have they made Merchandise of Thousand, whose Reward will be according to their Works.  
O! Arise, arise, and come away, ye seeking and travelling One's, in what Form, or under what Name so ever: The great Master of the Feast is Inviting you to Eat at his Table, make no Excuses of Oxen or Farms, Wives or Children, that you be not Rejected, and them who are in the Highways and Hedges compelled and received: For many are Called and Invited, but few Choose and Received, because they answer not his Call, nor regard his Invitation.  
Therefore Gird up the Loins of your Minds, and cast of the Unfruitful Works of Darkness, and put on the Armour of Light; for it is offered you: Even the Spiritual Sword, by which you may overcome your Soul's Enemy, i e. the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; and this Word, or Sword of the Spirit, is nigh to every one of you, even in your Hearts, Rom. 10. 8. This Engrafted Word is able to save your Souls, if you Hear, Receive and Obey it, your Rock will be sure in all Storms, and your Foundation unmoveable, and you shall know the Truth, and it shall make you free, from that Bondage of Corruption which the whole Creation groans under: For a Deliverer is come, and now tendered to all Mankind, that whosoever will Receive, Fellow and Obey him, shall not abide in Egypt's Darkness, nor House of Bondage, but shall receive the Light of Life.  
Oh! Seek the Lord in the Light of his Beloved Son, while he is near; for he is not far from every one of you, who in Sincerity are seeking him: And that, in this your Day of Visitation, you may know the things that belong to your Everlasting Peace, is the true Desire and Breathing of  
Your True Friend, Who seeks not Yours, but You, Ambrose Rigge. Reigate, the 8th day of the 8th Month, 1698.  
FINIS.