"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----"




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