Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

despite to the Spirit of grace, shall smite such an one deeper than either the living worm or the eternal curse of God.

And now, Mr. Zeal-for-God, I shall leave you to enlarge on the Saviour's words, "That servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." However, as he chooses to be tried at the court of judicature, I have no objection; for it will be done by spiritual men, such as are able to understand his crime.' He added, moreover, that Mr. Discerning-of-Spirits was on his circuit, and would arrive as the next day, which he accordingly did, and the court

sat.

UNIVERSAL CHARITY

TRIED AND CONDEMNED.

THE jury being impannelled by Mr. Spiritual, the sheriff, and the witnesses subpoenaed and sworn, a command was sent to Mr. Election, the gaoler, to bring Mr. Universal Charity, the prisoner, to the bar, and present him before my lord Discerning-of-Spirits, the deputy judge; which was accordingly done.

Then the jury, which consisted of freeholders (men of eminent character, and in eminent offices) were called over, whose names were as follow: Paul, the aged; John, the divine; Peter, the champion; Luke, the physician; Matthew, the evangelist; Jude, the zealous; Mark, the apostle; Isaiah, the wonderful; Jeremiah, the laborious; Job, the patient; Moses, the meek; and David, the penitent.

The names of the witnesses were: Mr. Penetration, Mr. Wise-master-builder, Mr. Adoption, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Predestination, Mr. Established, Mr. Peaceable, Mr. Strong-in-the-Lord, Mr. Self

Abhorrence, Mr. Hold-out, Mr. Reformer, Mr. Sensation, and Mr. Dim-sight. Indeed there was a cloud of witnesses, Heb. xii. 1.

Then said Mr. Sound-mind, the clerk, Mr. Universal Charity, hold up your hand.' Then said the Judge, Thou art here indicted by the name of Universal Charity, alias Fleshly Passions rebelliously influenced, for disturbing the peace of the celestial realm, counterfeiting the work of the Spirit of the great King, teaching rebellion against his sovereign laws, withstanding his royal decrees, alienating the affections of his loyal subjects, invading his royal prerogative, and teaching others to do the same. What sayest thou? Art thou guilty

of this indictment, or not?'

Universal Charity. Not guilty, my Lord.

Judge. Crier, call in Mr. Penetration, Mr. Wisemaster-builder, Mr. Adoption, and all the King's witnesses.

Judge. You, the witnesses for the King, look at the prisoner at the bar, do you know him? Penetration. Yes, my Lord, we know him. Judge. Are you sure you know him?

Penetration. Know him! yes, my Lord, I know the whole pedigree of him.

Judge. Well said: He standeth here indicted by the name of Universal Charity, for disturbing the peace of the celestial realm, counterfeiting the Spirit of the great King, teaching rebellion against his sovereign laws, withstanding his royal decrees,

alienating the affections of his loyal subjects, invading his royal prerogative, and teaching others to do the same. What say you, the king's witness, to this; Is he guilty or not?

Penetration. By your Lordship's leave, I will first trace his pedigree, and then bear my witness. His great-grandfather's name was Magor-missabib, a native of Mizraim; he married one Miss Prateapace; they both dwelt at Luz, and there they had a daughter, and she was their only child; her name was Soft Passions: her parents married her to one Mr. Blind-Zeal, a son of Allegorical-Hagar; they settled on the borders of the wilderness by Jordan, not far from the city Adam, Josh. iii. 16; and they had a daughter whose name was Natural-Affections; she married one Mr. Hate-God, an Ishmaelite by birth, and by occupation an archer, Gen. xlix. 23; he dwelt not far from the city of Jericho, that stood in the plains of the wilderness, 2 Sam. xv. 28: There they had one son, who is this prisoner at the bar; in features, they say, he is the very picture of his father, but in disposition much like his mother: he was circumcised by a Jewish rabbi, and called by the name of Self-Love. They put him to school to one Mr. Sound-Man; but he broke the order of the school, rebelled against the master, and the best doctrine of the classics; and sometimes he has been heard to speak treason even against the King, so that the master. was in danger of being brought into trouble about him, and the pupils in danger of being corrupted

[blocks in formation]
« ZurückWeiter »