vi. 15; my ear-bobs, Ezek. xvi. 12; my bracelets, Ezek. xvi. 11; my signet, Haggai, ii. 23; and all my jewels, Isaiah Ixi. 10; and talked very much to him of my King's kindness and love; at which his countenance fell, his jaw quivered, and his knee shook with malice. Bursting out into a rage, he told me my king loved concubines, harlots, servants, and rebels, as well as me; and, as for my wedding robe, it was imputed nonsense; all my attire might be taken from me, and my shoes too; and, as for my ring, jewels, bracelets, and trinkets, I might be stripped of them all, receive a final divorce, and be shut up in eternal banishment. And the words which my husband the King has said against such harlots as this prisoner contended for he perverted, and turned against me, in the heat of passion. Tell me no more,' said he, of your husband's love; I have known him divorce many after he has clothed and wedded them; yea, and strip them too; insomuch that, instead of a sweet smell, there was a stink; instead of the girdle of truth, a rent; instead of well-set hair, baldness; instead of a stomacher, a girdle of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty,' Isaiah iii. 2, 4. Yea, he told me, in plain words, I might lose all my dignity, perish for ever, and be damned after all.

I told him of the immense sum that my King paid for me, to redeem me out of debt; and that he died for my soul, in order to bring about this glorious match. To which he answered, there were many in hell for whom he died, and many in

hell whom he had wedded; and that my marriage covenant, and my King's discriminating love, were nothing but a horrible decree: And further, that Jezebel the witch, and Babylon the harlot, were as dear to the King as myself; and then went off with his fallen countenance in all the rage of a devil.

When he was gone I found such fear, darkness, trouble, and anguish, as is inexpressible: I doubted of the faithfulness and love of my Lord the King, and staggered in my confidence of his constancy; for I knew, if he made my marriage void, he would break through two covenants; appear false to me, and a deceiver; and, if he divorced me, and married another, he would commit adultery; if he loved all as well as me, he was no husband at all in heart; and, if he married more than one, he would be a polygamist. But surely there is no unrighteousness in my King. No, far be it from him that he should do iniquity, or give me room to enter into judgment with him, Job xxxiv. 10, 23. However, my thoughts were hard of him; my spirit rose against him; and jealousy, more cruel than the grave, possessed my soul. Finding this cruel suspicion of my Lord's love to me, I could not help shewing it; I acted, in effect, as Vashti did, in heart I withstood the King's decree, and refused to make my appearance at the banquet of wine.

My King, seeing this, took little notice of me; frowned on me, and seldom spake to me; which rather appeared to confirm the prisoner's words,

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and added much to my grief; especially the thoughts of such everlasting shame, which would undoubtedly attend one of my rank when degraded, divorced, and banished; together with the reflection of all those sweet hours which I have enjoyed with my Lord the King; and of another woman appearing for ever in his presence, and in my place and dignity. 'Oh,' said I, if this could be the case, my fleeting days would drag heavily on; my life would hang in doubt before me, and my soul would be racked with perpetual suspense; and, even in eternal banishment, I should curse and blaspheme the greatest name, the fairest personage, the sweetest and tenderest companion, that ever the heavens revealed, or a created spirit enjoyed. O, better that my soul could end in oblivion than be confined to all eternity in the injured lover's hell.'

I found myself inwardly galled with the woful departure of an undisturbed lover; sick at heart of love, yet racked with cruel jealousy. I arose, put off my sackcloth, and, in the words of one desperate, said, 'I will go in and stand before the king, and, if I perish, I perish.' Est. iv. 16. As soon as I saw him on the throne, he said, with a sweet smile, What is thy petition, and what is thy request? Ask, and it shall be given thee, even to the whole of my kingdom,' Luke xii. 32. That soft word broke all my bones, Prov. xxv. 15; I swooned and dropped. But he said, Arise, my fair one, and come away, Cant. ii. 10. I answered, 'Heal the bones which thou hast broken,' Psalm

vi. 2. He replied, Blessed is she that believed, I will perform what I have told her, Luke i. 45. Why look you so sadly to-day? Gen. xl. 7; Have I not given Egypt for thy ransom, as well as myself; Yea, Ethiopia, Sheba, and Seba, for thee; because thou hast been precious in my sight, and I have loved thee, Isaiah xliii. 44; and though I have threescore queens and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number, yet my undefiled is but one; she is the choice, or chosen one of her heavenly mother, Cant. vi. 9; the highly esteemed spouse of thy Lord the King; and the chosen daughter of the Lord God Almighty.'

These words strengthened me; I arose, went to him, and he held out the sceptre, and again asked what I requested; I touched it and said, 'Thy everlasting self I beg to be given to me at my petition, and to leave thee as a portion to all my daughters when I die, at my request.' Esther v. 3. He answered, It is done; I will bless him that blesseth thee, and curse him that curseth thee, and my word and spirit shall never depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, from henceforth and for ever,' Numb. xxiv. 9. He then asked who had been making the heart of his dove sad, whom he had not made sad. The Queen said, 'The enemy is this wicked Universal Charity; surely, if he had brought me to blaspheme my Lord the King, he could never have countervailed my King's damage.'

I permit such to try thy love,' said the King; 'but justice shall take hold of him, and thou shalt appear a witness for me against him. No weapon that is formed against thee shall and every prosper, and tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn; this is thy heritage, and thy righteousness is of me,' Isaiah liv. 17.

When the prisoner heard this he put a bribe into the hand of Carnal Reason, his counsellor, to plead for him; but Reason in a whisper replied, 'She is of the seed royal, and thou shalt surely fall before her,' Esther vi. 13. And Conscience said the same. Then said the judge to the queen:

Judge. His offence is such a complication of spiritual crimes, committed against your Majesty, as never have been brought into any court before. Queen. I have uttered nothing but the truth, my Lord.

Judge. None doubts your Majesty's veracity, Isaiah lxiii. 8. So her Majesty withdrew; and, when the daughters of Zion, who were but weak in faith, had heard their pious mother's forcible evidence against the prisoner, they found their joyful hope burn with a sense of their everlasting Father's love; and in all the joys of heaven they withdrew, following their venerable mother; and, looking at the prisoner, they shook their head at him and laughed him to scorn, Isaiah xxxvii. 22.

Clerk. Crier, tell Mr. Freeman to stand forth, and give in his evidence.