"It augurs well to see one whom the Lord hath blessed with all the
creature-comforts of life, thus early aroused from sluggish sloth, and
abroad, doubtless, on business of the faithful-minded?"
Burrell made the best reply he could, without confirming or denying the
inference drawn from his early rising.
"Why tarried ye from the gathering of God's people on account of the
Lady Cecil's funeral? I pray that the fleshpots of Egypt may not lure ye
to perdition; or fine gold from Ophir, or the vain glories of sinful
men, pilot ye unto destruction!"
"It was business connected with the state--commands from his Highness's
own lips, that detained me."
"All praise to the Providence that has given his chosen people into such
keeping as the Lord Oliver's! Truly may he be likened to the chariots
and horsemen of Israel--to the blessed Zerubbabel, who restored the true
worship, which the Jews in their blindness had cast from them; to
Joshua, whom the Lord appointed as a scourge to the wicked Canaanites;
to Moses, who gave both spiritual help and carnal food to those that
needed; to Gideon; to Elijah; to David; to Hezekiah; to the most wise
Solomon; to all the holy of the earth!" and, exhausted by the rapidity
with which he had uttered the names of the kings and prophets of old,
the worthy Jonas made a full stop; not with any intention of concluding
his harangue, but to take breath for its continuation. As time, however,
was exceedingly precious to Burrell, he endeavoured to give such a turn
to the conversation, as would enable him to escape from the preacher's
companionship; and therefore expressed a very deep regret that he had
not been edified by the discourse which Mr. Fleetword so ably
delivered, and inquired when and where it was likely he would next give
his holy lessons, so that he might be comforted by the oil and honey
that flowed from his lips.
"Thou sayest truly," replied the energetic preacher; "truly sayest thou:
oil and honey for the faithful, the holy, the just, in our New
Jerusalem! But what, what for the unbelievers?--what for the wise in
their own conceit?--what for the dwellers in Kedar? Even this--to them,
my words signify bitterness, a scourge, a pestilence, an uprooting, and
a scattering by the four winds of heaven! on them shall the seventh
phial be poured out; for verily the Lord is weary of showing mercy to
the backsliders from the congregation: they shall all perish--their
limbs shall be broken asunder--yea, I will smite the uncircumcised
Philistines--yea, I will smite----"