aid I, I am deceived; and brought in amongst you by a fair
show, but see not the glory, peace and tranquillity which I expected.
So I walked away to another part of the house; where I heard a great
noise and hard words; as I drew near, I understood it was about
choosing an officer; and two were striving for it, and each of them
had got a party, and each party grew hot against the other. As soon as
I could be heard, I spake to them, and told them, such kind of doings
as this, did more resemble a place in the world called Billingsgate,
than the house of God. I went a little farther; and there I heard
some women scolding about taking the upper hand, and about fashions in
their clothes; and others about getting their children's play-things
from each other. All this, and much more than I shall mention,
increased my sorrow.

[Illustration: So I walked away to another part of the house; where
I heard a great noise and hard words; as I drew near, I understood it
was about choosing an officer; and two were striving for it, and each
of them had got a party, and each party grew hot against the other.]

I now began to long to speak with my guide that brought me thither;
and with diligent search at last I found him, and began with him in
this manner: Whither hast thou brought me? and where are the rules and
orders thou toldest me were in the house of God? I have often read of
the beauty, order, peace and purity of the house of God, but here I
find nothing but the contrary. I fear thou hast brought me to a wrong
house, and hast beguiled me. So I rehearsed to him what I had met
withal; to which he replied; I must expect men to have their human
frailties, and that men were but men: and he would have persuaded
me to be satisfied, and make further trial. And as for the orders he
spake of, they were mostly about meats and drinks, and about rules for
electing of officers to rule the house of God; as I would see in time,
if I stayed: and as to the dirtiness of the house, he confessed, that
those to whom the care was committed to keep the house clean, had
not been so diligent as they ought to have been; but he hoped, upon
admonition, they would be more careful. To which I returned this
answer: What! dost thou talk of human frailties in the house of God?
That complaint is at large in the world, but doth not become the
house of God; into which I have heard none can come, but such as are
redeemed from the earth, and are washed from their pollu