that nothing might be accepted of, that might bring a fnare or burthen upon any tender confcientious perfon; and recommending patience, and to wait God's time, to open a clear and free way for his true and tender-hearted people to affert the truth.

Befides other miniftring friends who vifited this nation this year, 1693, was Thomas Rudd, who travelled through most parts of the nation, not only where friends were fettled, but alfo in feveral other parts; and he preached repentance through the streets, and in the publick places of moft towns he came into, travelling as far as Galway and Sligo, at the first of which places he was imprisoned, as also at Cork.

Now after the troubles, and great fpoil and fearcity above-mentioned, there fuddenly fucceeded a time of great plenty after a wonderful manner, beyond what could be expected; and ftock and trade increafed mightily, and the time of getting great riches came on, as the time of great loffes had been experienced before, and many too eagerly purfued them; and too many of our fociety were concerned therein, which has proved very injurious upon feveral accounts, and especially to friends' children; who perceiving their parents fullness, and relying thereupon, grew conceited and finical; many of them giving way to idleness, and too many parents indulging them, as alfo gratifying the vain mind that goes after the fafhions of the world; and for want of timely care, fome grew fo hardy that their parents could not deal with them; and these things greatly added to the exercises of the fincere, and great endeavours were used to put a stop to this eager pursuit after the things of this world, in fuch a day of great cafe as this was, fuddenly fucceeding the many fufferings which friends had formerly undergone and as this spirit of eagernefs predominated, as though it would choke all that was good, like the tares, and bring a damp upon the sense of truth in the hearts of friends,

and fo make them forget the eminent care and providence of God over them, in giving them their lives for a prey, through all thofe calamities; the Lord in his mercy, in order to preferve us, and prevent this evil defign of the enemy, raised up by his Holy Spirit a fervent zeal and courage in many of his fervants, to stand against this infatiable fpirit, and was mouth and wifdom to them; and fo from men and women's meetings many admonitions, exhortations, and warnings, both in word and writing, were fent forth to the body of friends to keep close to the truth, and within the limits thereof; and the Lord wonderfully accompanied friends in that fervice, with his power and prefence, to great fatisfaction and confirmation, and opened to them many ways to stop the progrefs of that fpirit, for the prefervation of one another, which wrought to good effect.

In 1694, John Banks vifited this nation in the work of the miniftry, and in one of his epiftles recorded in his journal, is the following remark:

"The Lord hath here a bleffèd zealous people for his name and truth, filled with love to his fervants, largely manifested to us, in accompanying us from one meeting to another, from ten to twenty and above in company at one time, the length of twentyfive miles, even in the time of harveft; and three travelled from Dublin with us above one hundred miles.'

It was observed at the Third month national meeting, in 1695, that no one friend was a prifoner through the nation, friends having gained a pretty good esteem among thofe in authority.

This year, 1696, the government of England favoured friends there, fo far as to prefcribe for them a declaration to be made, or figned by them, instead of an oath; which although not univerfally fatisfactory

to friends of this nation, nor to many of the brethren in England, by reason of the facred name of the Lord being mentioned therein, this diffatisfaction however never proceeded to an open divifion; but the fpirit of true Christian charity and mutual forbearance towards one another, under different fentiments, fhone forth, particularly in the yearly meeting of London, and a happy harmony was established among friends of both nations, and an unanimous refolution taken, to folicit the government, whien Providence fhould open the way, for the granting an affirmation cafy to all; in which that friends of this nation were not inactive, we shall fee hereafter, particularly in the years 1711 and 1721.

This year (1696) died Deborah Sandham of Youghall, wife of Robert Sandham, of whom account hath been given before, who had a found and weighty teftimony for God's truth: fhe was a pattern of righteoufnefs, humility and felf-denial. She furvived her husband about twenty years, and carefully trained up her children in the fear of God, watching over them and her fervants in love, and the Lord was pleafed to blefs her labour and care therein. She was of a tender fpirit, not hafty to cenfure any hardly; was loth to hurt the good, and yet would condemn the evil; and if fhe heard of any nigh her profeffing truth that had done amifs, it was her godly care to vifit them in love, and admonifh them; fhe was a mother in the church, and her love and care over God's heritage was great; fhe departed this natural life with sweetness and comfort, having this teftimony to bear on her death-bed, that truth had been her chief treasure.

Among other friends who vifited the nation this year was John Gratton, an able minister of the gospel, who in his journal has left this teftimony concerning the friends of Ireland, that There was great love, peace and concord among them, and good order and

government in a careful overfight of the flock, that friends be careful in all refpects to keep their profeffion without blame, and particularly that none run inordinately after the world, or break in other men's debts.'

In 1698, we have alfo a remarkable testimony concerning the zeal of friends of this nation, in profecuting a strict and close discipline, from the men's meeting of Bristol, in an epiftle of theirs to the national meeting here, in thefe words:

Your love to the holy crofs of our Lord Jefus, and your zeal for promoting the way thereof, by a ftrict and clofe difcipline, is that which is much wanted in many places; and though ignorant and malicious fpirits may, (as they have done) carp at it, and cry out against it as an impofition on confcience, God Almighty hath blocked up their way, and spoiled the fpoiler, and manifefted their folly to all, the neceffity of a holy care in the church of Chrift more and more daily appearing.

This year (1698) William Penn among others vifited this nation; and fome time after his arrival, John Plympton, a certain tenacious Baptift difputant, published a paper, intituled, A Quaker'no Chriftian:' to which William Penn replied under the title of, The Quaker a Chriftian; and in order the more effectually to wipe off that adverfary's afperfions, he alfo wrote and difperfed a paper intituled, Gofpel-Truths held by the people called Quakers,' fubfcribed by himself, Thomas Story, Anthony Sharp, and George Rooke, at Dublin; which may be seen in the fecond volume of William Penn's Works, with the bishop of Cork's exceptions to it, and William Penn's anfwer. After this, he travelled to other parts of this nation in the work of the miniftry, to the edification of the churches; of which, because he has given fome

In two Vols, Folio, 1726

account, in an epiftle from hence to the yearly-meeting at London, figned by himself and his two fellow-labourers, as likewife a remarkable teftimony concerning the friends of Ireland; here follows a copy of it from his works, viz.

To the Yearly-Meeting at London.

Dear Friends and Brethren,

It is not the leaft of our exercises, that we are thus far outwardly feparated from you, at this time of your holy and bleffed folemnity; but because we have good reafon to believe it is in the will of God, we humbly fubmit to his ordering hand, and with open arms of deep and tender love, embrace you our living and loving brethren, who are given up to ferve the Lord in your generation, and that have long preferred Jerufalem, and the peace and profperity of her borders, above your chiefeft joy. The falutation of our endeared brotherly love in Chrift Jefus is unto you, defiring that he may richly appear among you in power, wisdom, and love, to guide your judgments and influence your fpirits, in this weighty and anniverfary affembly; that fo nothing may appear or have place among you, but what fingly feeks the honour of the Lord, the exaltation of his truth, and the peace and establishment of his heritage. For this, brethren, you and we know has been the aim, end, and practice of thofe whom the Lord hath made willing to forfake and give up all for his name's fake; and through various exercifes and tribulations, yea in the way of the daily crofs, and through the fight and baptifm of many afflictions, to have their converfation and fojourning here below upon the earth, in fear and love, looking for their reward in the heavens that fhall never pafs away; who have not been lifted up by good reports, nor caft down by evil report, from their love to the Lord and his pre