Then said Mr. Carnal-Security, ‘You want sleep, good air, I doubt. If you please, lie down, and take a nap, and we meanwhile will be merry.’
Then said the good man as follows: ‘Sir, if you were not destitute of an honest heart, you could not do as you have done and do.’
Then said Mr. Carnal-Security, ‘Why?’
Godly. Nay, pray interrupt me not. It is true the town of Mansoul was strong, and, with a proviso, impregnable; but you, the townsmen, have weakened it, and it now lies obnoxious to its foes. Nor is it a time to flatter, or be silent; it is you, Mr. Carnal-Security, that have wilily stripped Mansoul, and driven her glory from her; you have pulled down her towers, you have broken down her gates, you have spoiled her locks and bars.
And now, to explain myself: from that time that my lords of Mansoul, and you, sir, grew so great, from that time the Strength of Mansoul has been offended, and now he is arisen and is gone. If any shall question the truth of my words, I will answer him by this, and suchlike questions. ‘Where is the Prince Emmanuel? When did a man or woman in Mansoul see him? When did you hear from him, or taste any of his dainty bits?’ You are now a feasting with this Diabolonian monster, but he is not your Prince. I say, therefore, though enemies from without, had you taken heed, could not have made a prey of you, yet since you have sinned against your Prince, your enemies within have been too hard for you.
Then said Mr. Carnal-Security, ‘Fie! fie! Mr. Godly-Fear, fie!—will you never shake off your timorousness? Are you afraid of being sparrow-blasted? Who hath hurt you? Behold, I am on your side; only you are for doubting, and I am for being confident. Besides, is this a time to be sad in? A feast is made for mirth; why, then, do you now, to your shame, and our trouble, break out into such passionate melancholy language, when you should eat and drink, and be merry?’
Then said Mr. Godly-Fear again, ‘I may well be sad, for Emmanuel is gone from Mansoul. I say again, he is gone, and you, sir, are the man that has driven him away; yea, he is gone without so much as acquainting the nobles of Mansoul with his going; and if that is not a sign of his anger, I am not acquainted with the methods of godliness.
‘And now, my lords and gentlemen, for my speech is still to you, your gradual declining from him did provoke him gradually to depart from you, the which he did for some time, if perhaps you would have been made sensible thereby, and have been renewed by humbling yourselves; but when he saw that none would regard, nor lay these fearful beginnings of his anger and judgment to heart, he went away from this place; and this I saw with mine eye. Wherefore now, while you boast, your strength is gone; you are like the man that had lost his locks that before did wave about his shoulders. You may, with this lord of your feast, shake yourselves, and conclude to do as at other times; but since without him you can do nothing, and he is departed from you, turn your feast into a sigh, and your mirth into lamentation.’
Then the subordinate preacher, old Mr. Conscience by name, he that of old was Recorder of Mansoul, being startled at what was said, began to second it thus:—
‘Indeed, my brethren,’ quoth he, ‘I fear that Mr. Godly-Fear tells us true: I, for my part, have not seen my Prince a long season. I cannot remember the day, for my part; nor can I answer Mr. Godly-Fear’s question. I doubt, I am afraid that all is nought with Mansoul.’