neither do ye afflict them, even as ye hope to prosper; remember their cause, and suffer it not always to be rejected, as it hath long been, but keep yourselves free from the injustice and cruelty of them that have gone before you, who have been oppressors of that people, even till my Lord hath confounded them, and brought them into confusion; for there is the weight of blood, tyranny and oppression lying upon the nation in that people's cause, and my Lord will revenge them in his season; and though they are not weary of their sufferings, but are in the patience which beareth all things, yet the nation can never be happy, nor its government ever blessed, while this people are in bondage; and their sufferings are deeply considered by the Lord, and the season thereof is expiring; and when this cometh to pass, then woe unto the kingdom of antichrist, and to the whore and false prophet, even when their strength is dried up, by which they have made war against the Lamb, and his followers; yea, woe unto them, great fearfulness shall be upon all the world when the king of that people reigns upon the earth, and the time is at hand; blessed is the man that waiteth for it, and blessed is he that is not offended at his appearing, which suddenly cometh upon all the world.

"And thus I have told you the Lord's present message unto you, which I received from him,

and thus far I am clear; and whether you accept it, or reject it, my peace and reward is for ever with him, who am a subject of his kingdom, and a friend to this nation, however otherwise judged by ignorant men.

The 9th month, 1659.

E. Burrough."

"Now how soon after these sayings of Burrough, "Your estates shall not be spared from the spoiler, nor your heads from the axe; your enemies shall charge treason upon you, and if you seek to stop the Lord's work, you shall not cumber the earth very long," were fulfilled, we shall see shortly.

About this time also he wrote several epistles to his friends, wherein he so powerfully exhort.. ed them to faithfulness and stedfastness, that thereby he hath procured to himself a name that will never die: as living still in the remembrance of thousands, though he has long gone the way of all flesh, having laid down his life in bonds for the testimony of Jesus, as will be said in its due place.

There is also a piece of a letter written about this time to the cavaliers, which whether done by E. Burrough, or by George Fox the younger, or by George Bishop, I cannot tell : but thus it speaks:

"The very same spirit of pride and oppression, and idolatry, is entered into them, (viz. your enemies) and now lives in them in as high a measure as ever it lived amongst you; and their iniquities are well nigh finished, and the Lord will one way or other correct and reprove them; and they shall be dealt with in like manner as they have dealt with you; for they were no more than a rod in the hand of the Lord for a season, and they must also be broken and cast into the fire; and whether the Lord may ever make use of you to reprove them, as he did of them to reprove you, this I determine not, but leave it to him who can do whatsoever he will, by what instrument he pleaseth. It is true, you have made many attempts to be revenged upon them, but you have not hitherto prospered; but could you be humbled, and come into the meek spirit of the Lord, then might you prosper; but hitherto the Lord has always defeated you, and bowed you down under a people as unworthy as others; but their time will come to an end. Submit therefore unto the will of the Lord in what is come to pass, and seek not vengeance to yourselves; and then the Lord will avenge your cause; for the iniquities of your adversaries are ripe. And Charles Stuart must either be converted to God, and ruled by him, or else he can never rightly rule for God in this nation; though this I be

lieve, it is not impossible but that he may be a rod upon them who once smote him; and their oppressions and ambitions may receive a check through him."

Among several other eminent preachers, Stephen Crisp was now also become a public minister of the word of God; and it was about this time that he went to Scotland, to preach the gospel there, and to edify the churches with his gift.

G. Fox the younger, this year wrote an exhortation to the military officers, and the army: shewing them how they were departed from their first integrity, and fallen into pride and wántonness.

G. Fox the elder, about the tenth month was at Norwich, where a meeting being appointed, the mayor having got notice of it, intended to have given out a warrant to apprehend him, but he having heard of this, sent some of his friends to the mayor, to speak with him about it. And his answer was, that he feared such a meeting would cause tumults in the town. But being spoken to in a kind way, he behaved himself moderately, and a large peaceable meeting was kept; to which among others, several priests also came, and among these was one Townsend, who stood up and cried, Error, Blasphemy, &c.

E

G. Fox desired him not to burden himself with that which he could not make good. But he asserted it to be error and blasphemy, that G. Fox had said that people must wait upon God by his power and spirit, and feel his presence, when they did not speak words. On this G. Fox asked him whether the apostles and holy men of God did not hear God speak to them in their silence, before they spoke forth the Scripture, and before it was written? He replied "Yes," and confirmed it by saying plainly, that David and the prophets did so. Then G. Fox shewed the people how absurd it was, that Townsend had called such a practice error and blasphemy. This sopuzzled Townsend, that he said, "Ö, this is not that G. Fox I would speak withal; but this is a subtle man." Now when some of the auditory called to the priest, and bade him prove the blasphemy and error with which he had charged G. Fox, he went away. And being afterwards spoken to by George Whitehead and Richard Hubberthorn, who were then also about Norwich, he was confounded and brought down.

The committee of safety being now in power, Edmund Ludlow continued to urge the restoring of the parliament: and general Monk, who commanded the army in Scotland, aiming at the restoration of the king, yet wrote to the speaker,