CHAPTER VIII.

A CONFLICT WITH THE GREAT PIRATE, AND HOW TO RESIST

TEMPTATION.

Now it happened that as they were all busy getting in their water and provisions, there was a fellow named Pride, who came under the disguise of one of the King's Stevedores, and took hold along with the crew, to help them in their labours. He seemed to be an active, zealous workman, ready for any thing, whether to carry coals, hew wood, or draw water. He had tried before to get in with the crew, in his own proper character, but could not succeed, and now resorted to this stratagem, for he was a secret spy and soldier in the service of Beelzebub, the Prince of the Devils. So he made himself very humble and very busy, and just as the ship was getting in her last supplies, and was all ready for sailing, he came on board with a wheelbarrow of packages for the ship's use, and instead of returning, slunk unperceived away to a dark place in the forecastle, to hide himself till the ship should be under weigh, and then stand his chance for holding on in the voyage, though there was no name under which he was down in the Ship's manifest.

Well, for sometime he kept quiet, but at length managed to get the key of one of their sea-chests, where he found a whole suit of seaman's clothes, even to a tarpaulin, and having rigged himself in this toggery, he made his appearance in the first dirty weather they encountered after leaving the harbour, and pulled at the ropes, and reefed sails, with

the rest of them. They were too busy to take much note of the man, or even to see at first that he was a stranger, though Contrition and Sincere looked hard at him, and made up their minds to speak about him to Peter and John. But as the weather began to be rough and uncomfortable, they had much to occupy them; and what had never been known before, there began to be a spirit of discontent at the squalls and wet weather they were encountering; for the fellow Pride had a way of whispering and muttering, so peculiar that it was like ventriloquism, and what he said seemed to come from the heart and belly of the person to whom he said it, so that there began to be heart-burnings and hard thoughts, where before there had been nothing but sweet peace, content and patience.

Now all this was not for nothing, as the event proved. One night, while all the rest of the crew were sleeping, and the watch were looking astern across the sea, this fellow, Pride, contrived to hoist a lantern signal with a blue light, which he had conveyed on board for that very purpose, and by which he was to communicate with his Master, whom he knew to be on the watch in those regions. For the devil is a great and cunning Pirate, who watches for ships richly laden; and the seas about the Island and Harbour of the Communion of Saints are a favourite cruising-ground for his privateers. So the fellow, Pride, who knew his Master to be some where thereabouts, kept up the signal as long as he dared, and then managed to haul it down again without discovery. The night was very dark, but the light could be seen so much the farther for the darkness.

The very next day there hoye in sight a black, doubtfullooking craft, bearing down upon them, and as she neared, and got close enough for hailing, up went the black flag of Beelzebub, and the Master stood upon the quarter deck, and in a voice that roared through his trumpet like thunder, called upon the Captain of the King's ship in the name of his Infernal Majesty, to surrender at discretion, for that he was Master of those seas.

Then Peter stood forth and answered for his King, that this was the King's own ship, even Immanuel's, and owed

no allegiance to any but him, nor would ever surrender to his enemies; furthermore, that this was the King's own highway, and the course of the ship just what was laid down for her in the King's Chart, and that none had any right or authority over them, either to stop the way, or turn them out of it.

Then the Master of Beelzebub's ship answered that by the King's own laws all their pretended rights were forfeited to Beelzebub, for they had sold themselves to him, and must come to him for wages, nor would he relinquish his hold upon them for service, but if they fled away, would recapture them wherever he could find them, for that they were his slaves and his property, and as such he claimed them, and called on all in the ship to help in the execution of the laws whereby they should be delivered up.

Then Peter answered that it was indeed true, and with shame and sorrow of heart he spoke it, that formerly, under great delusion and guilt, they had been in the service of Beelzebub, serving divers lusts and pleasures, but that God, having delivered them from the power of darkness, and translated them into the Kingdom of his dear Son,1 had delivered them wholly from the power of Satan, and made them, by adoption, Sons of God, and meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;2 that of their own accord they chose the service of God's dear Son, and should have done it sooner, had not the god of this world blinded their minds and made them perverse and unbelieving; but by the Lord's help they never more would serve the devil, nor any of his laws or works.

At this Beelzebub fell into great wrath, and raved and swore with such passion, that he could hardly speak English. But at length he roared out that by the King's own laws they were under his jurisdiction, for that it was one of those laws that they should render unto Cæsar the things that were Cæsar's, which they had not done, for that the god of this world, in alliance with Cæsar, had made laws which they had contemned and disobeyed, and if they continued to do this, there could be no civil government, and 1 Col. i, 13. 2 Col. i, 12. 32 Cor. iv, 4. * Matt. xxii, 21

that the first rule of all was to obey the powers that be, for that they were ordained of God.1

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Then Peter answered that as to that matter, the god of this world had trampled on the word and authority of God, and had made God's laws of none effect through his traditions, which he, the devil, was trying to enforce as law, and to get men's consciences under his authority; but that they were commanded at all hazards to render unto God the things that were God's, and in all those things they were the Lord's freemen, and would be bound by none but him.

But Beelzebub still maintained that they were his servants from the outset, and had broken away from his allegiance without cause, and as miserable fugitives from justice, ought to be rendered up again. Besides, added he, you have got on board of your ship one of mine own subjects, impressed unwillingly and detained violently, and if you do not instantly release him, I will blow your ship into ten thousand pieces.

Now Peter and John trembled at this, for they did not fully understand the accusation, and as they knew they had never themselves been kidnappers, and were not aware of any smuggled hands on board, they began to question about their own identity. Likewise the whole crew, all but that fellow, Pride, began to say within themselves, Is it I? Is it I?3 And their sins rose up before them in such wise, at the great roaring voice of Beelzebub, that they were ready to question, each for himself, whether he was not really the man that ought to be given up to Satan as his prey.

However, Peter managed to answer with apparent boldness, that the King's ship was the King's ship, and they would defend her for him to the last. And whether it were right to obey God or man, or to hearken to Beelzebub more than unto God, all on board might judge. Then Peter commanded to clear the ship for action.

But even while they were doing this, the Master of the Pirate ship, having brought her into a commanding position, poured a whole broadside upon the King's ship, intending, if possible, to sink her at one blow; and if the shot had Rom. xiii, 1. Matt. xv, 6. Mark, xiv, 19. Acts, iv, 19.

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taken effect as was intended, the consequences would have been terrible. But just as the order to fire was given, a wave providentially lifted the vessel up and suddenly keeled her over down to the sea, just so far, as to send the whole discharge into the ocean. Not a shot told.

By this, Peter and John were greatly encouraged. Now that the conflict had really begun, they felt more boldness by far than while they were parleying. But the next broadside did more injury, for the enemy tacked about with incredible swiftness, and brought his guns to bear more truly, though even then most of them whistled across the decks, without striking either the men or the ship. It was a great relief, after these repeated attacks from so terrible an adversary, to find themselves still alive and floating.

And now they brought the King's own guns into action, and every shot told. The very first report of them was inspiring, while they struck terror, evidently into the heart of the enemy. Out of the great Mortar, called Promise, they shot a bomb, that fell upon the leeward side of the Pirate Ship, and there exploding, tore out the bulwarks, carrying overboard several of his biggest guns and a number of the piratical crew with them. They also brought to bear with great power and effect the larger gun, WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST?1 And also that other piece, which was put on board, IF GOD BE FOR US WHO SHALL BE AGAINST US?? These pieces, however, did as much, if not more in encouraging and confirming Peter and John and all the crew, than in injuring the enemy, though they were not without their effect upon him, as was proved afterwards.

While all this was going on, Contrition and Sincere, who had their eye upon that fellow Pride, observed him at work upon the fire-engine, and coming up to see what he was doing, found that he had cut the hose in three several places, and was trying also to choke the pump with grit, which he had carried for that purpose in his pockets. Then they seized him at once, and in the struggle his hat fell off, which he had always worn over his eyes, and they saw his 1 Rom. viii, 31. 2 Rom. viii, 35.