That which E. Burrough mentions in the forepart of this letter, of the
grievous burdens and oppressions laid upon the just, seems chiefly to
regard the tithes which the priests extorted from the Quakers, so that
many thereby were reduced to poverty; and the heinousness of this was
not unknown to Cromwell; for when he was about to give battle to his
enemies, near Dunbar in Scotland, he said in his prayer to God, that
if the Lord would be pleased to deliver him at that time, he would
take off that great oppression of tithes. But this promise he never
performed, but suffered himself to be swayed by the flatteries of his
teachers; and therefore it was not without great cause that E. Burrough
laid this grievous oppression before him. A copy of the said letter,
of which but a part is inserted here, to shun prolixity, was given
into the hands of Oliver Cromwell, then protector, in the Third month
of this year. In the next month E. Burrough spoke with him about it,
and Cromwell told him in effect that all persecution and cruelty was
against his mind, and said that he was not guilty of those persecutions
acted unjustly upon Burrough’s friends. This made E. Burrough write
again to him, and bid him,
‘Consider what the cause is, that what thou desirest not to be
done, is yet done: is it not that thou mayest please men; making
it appear thou art more willing to do the false teachers of this
nation, and wicked men, a pleasure, than to own the people of
God, in relieving them, and easing them of their cruel burdens
and oppressions, laid upon them by unjust men? For a word of
thy mouth, or a show of thy countenance, in dislike of these
cruel and unjust persecutions, would bind the hands of many
blood-thirsty men. Therefore consider: thou canst not be cleared
in the sight of the Lord God from them, being acted under thee,
and in thy name: for there seems rather to be a favouring of
them in thee, by forbearance of the actors of cruelty, by which
their hands are strengthened, than any dislike showed by thee, in
bearing thy witness, as thou oughtest to do, against them. For
thou knowest of some in this city, and elsewhere, whom we know
to be just men, who suffer imprisonment, and the loss of their
liberties, because for conscience-sake they cannot swear; and
many others in this nation, suffering cruel things upon the like,
or same ground: even for well-doing, and not for evil; which
oppression might be removed, and their unjust sufferings taken
off by thee, by a word from thy mouth or pen; and this makes that
thou canst not be clear in the sight of God in these things,
because not helped by thee, who hast the power to help it.
‘And as concerning the light of Christ, at which thou stumblest,
by which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened,
in short, this I say: this light to thee is given of God, and
thou must own it to be thy only teacher, to receive by it from
the Father, and to be guided by it in all things, if ever thou
inheritest God’s kingdom.
‘The kingdom of Christ is setting up by his own power, and all
must bow and become subject thereto; he needeth none of thy
policy, nor the strength of thy arm to advance it; yet would he
have thee not to prove thyself an open enemy thereof, by doing,
or suffering to be done, cruelty and injustice against them whom
the Lord is redeeming out of this world, into subjection unto
that kingdom; lest thou be such a one, as will not enter thyself,
nor suffer others to enter, and so destruction come upon thee.
Wherefore arise as out of sleep, and slumber not in this world’s
glory and honour; be not overcome by the pleasures of this world,
nor the flattering titles of men; wink not at the cruelty and
oppression acted by some, who shelter under thee, and make thy
name a cloak for mischief against the upright.
‘Consider, I say, consider, and be thou changed in thy mind and
heart; lest thou having forgotten God, and his many deliverances,
be shut up, and numbered for destruction. I desire the Lord may
give thee a more perfect understanding of his ways and judgments,
and that the crown immortal thou mayest strive for, by meekness
and righteousness, through relieving the oppressed, and showing
mercy to the poor, and removing every burden which lies upon the
innocent; and this is the desire of him who is thy friend, and
would not have thee crowned with dishonour, through suffering
the people of God to be oppressed in thy name, which will be thy
overthrow absolutely, if thou removest it not, by turning, and
easing the oppressed.