I. told you before, that I had placed a standing ministry

among you ; not that you have but these with you, for my four first captains, who came against the master and lord of the Diabolonians that was in Mansoul, they can, and (if need be) if they be required, will not only pri- vately inform, but publicly preach to the corporation, good and wholesome doctrine : yea, they will set up a weekly, and, if need be, a daily lecture in thee, O Man- soul ! and will instruct thee in such profitable lessons, that if attended to, will do thee good at the end. And take good heed that you spare not the men whom you have a commission to take and crucify.
11 Now, as I have set before your eyes the vagrants and . . runagates by name, so I will tell you, that
c J ' among yourselves some of them shall creep in to beguile you, even such as would seem, and that in appearance are, very rife and hor for religion : and they, if you watch not, will do you a mischief, such an one as you do not think of. These will shew them selves to you in another hue than those under the description before ; wherefore watch and be sober, and suffer not thyself to be betrayed."*
When the Prince had thus far new-modelled the town of Mansoul, and had instructed them in such matters as were profitable for them to know ; then he appoint- ed another day, on which lie intended, when the
A J ... townsfolk came together, to bestow a Another firivi- ^u u \ r u .1 .
j • n.T 1 nirther badge 01 honor upon the town
lege in Mansoui. ^ Ma,lsoul . a badge that should djs.
* There are spiritual wickednesses, lusts of the mind, as well as of the flesh, which are more apt to deceive, as they assume the mask or religion ; such as spiritual pride, self-righteousness, self- seeking, and superstition.
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tinguish them from all people, kindreds, and tongues, that dwell in the kingdom of Universe. Now it was not long before the day appointed came, and the Prince and the people met in the king's palace, where first Imman- uel made a short speech unto them, and then did for them as he had said, and unto them as he had promised,
M My Mansoul," said he, u that which I now am about
W sfieec/l to do> is> to make you known to the world
to MansouL t0 be mme' and to distinguish you also in
your own eyes, from all false traitors that
may creep in among you."
Then he commanded that those that waited upon him should go and bring forth out of his treasury those white glittering robes that I, said he, have provided and laid up in store for my Mansoul. So the white garments were fetched, and laid forth to the eyes of the people, Rev xix. 8. Moreover, it was granted to them, that they should take them and put them on. So the people were put into white, into fine linen, white and clean.
Then said the Prince unto them " This, O Mansoul ! is my livery, and the badge by which mine are known from the servants of others. Yea, it is that which I grant to all that are mine, and without which no man is permit- ted to see my face. Wear them, therefore, for my sake, who gave them unto you ; and also if you would be known by the world to be mine."
But now, can you think how Mansoul shone ? It was fair as the sun, clear as the moon, and terrible as an ar- my with banners.
The Prince added further, and said, " No prince, po- tentate, or mighty one of Universe, giveth this livery but myself : behold, therefore, as I said before, you shall be known by it to be mine.
" And now," said he, " I have given you my livery, let me give \ou also in commandment concerning them : and be sure that you take good heed to my words.
" First, wear them daily, day by day, lest you should at sora-i times appear to others as if you were none of mine," Eccl. ix. 8.
cl Secondly, keep them always white : for if they be soiled, it is dishonor to me. Rev iii 2.
" Thirdly, wherefore gird them up from the ground* and let them not be soiled with dust or dirt.
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" Fourthly, take heed that you lose them not, lest you walk naked, and they see your shame.
»« Fifthly, but if you should sully them, if you should defile them (the which I am unwilling you should, and the prince Diabolus would be glad if you would,) Rev.vii.
14 17, then speed to do that which is written in my law,
that yet you may stand, and not fall before me, and be- fore my throne, Luke xxi. 36. Also this is the way to cause that I may not leave you nor forsake you while here, but dwell in this town of Mansoul for ever."* And now was Mansoul, and the inhabitants of it, as the signet upon Immanuel's right hand : The glorious wnere was tnerc now a town, a city, a cor- atateoJMan- poraliot)j that coukl compare with Man- soul' soul 1 A town redeemed from the hand
and from the power of Diabolus ! A town that the King Shaddai loved, and that he sent Immanuel to regain from the prince of the infernal cave ; yea, a town that Im- maT.uel loved to dwell in, and that he chose for his roy- al habitation ; a town that he fortified for himself, and made strong by the force of his arm. What shall I say ! Mansoul has now a most excellent Prince, golden cap- tains and men of war, weapons proved, and garments as white as snow. Nor are these benefits to be counted lit- tle, but great ; can Mansoul esteem them so, and im- prove them to that end and purpose for which they are bestowed upon them.
When the Prince had thus completed the modelling of the town, to shew that he had great delight in the works of his hands, and took pleasure in the good that he had wrought for the famous and flourishing Mansoul, he rn, p ■ » commanded, and they set his standard
, , s ■ upon the battlements of the castie. And standard net uh. s
1 then,
First, he gave them frequent visits : not a day now
* This idea of the white raiment is borrowed from Rev. xix. 8. *' And to her (that is to the church, the spouse of the Lamb) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." This is a live- ly emblem of honor and favor, or' purity and holiness ; " for the fine linen (says Dr. Guyse) signifies the righteousness both of justifica- tion by faith in the righteousness of Christ, to entitle her to hea- venly bliss, and of sanctification by his Spirit, to make her meet for enjoying it."
Q
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but the elders of Mansoul must come to him (or he to them) into his palace, 2 Cor. vi. 16. Now they must walk together, and talk of all the great things that he had done, and yet further promised to do for the famous town of Mansoul. Thus would he often do with the lord- mayor, my Lord Will-be-will, and the honest subordi- nate preacher, Mr. Conscience, and Mr. Recorder. But oh, how graciously, how lovingly, how courteously and tenderly, did this blessed Prince carry it towards the town of Mansoul ! In all the streets, gardens, orchards, and other places where he came, to be sure the poor should have his blessing and benediction : yea, he would kiss them, and, if they were ill, he would lay hands on them, and make them well. The captains also he would daily, yea sometimes hourly, encourage with his pres- ence and goodly words : for you must know, that a smile from him upon them would put more vigor, life, and stoutness into them, than any thing else under heaven. The Prince would now also feast them, and be with them continually ; hardly a week would pass, but a ban- quet must be had betwixt him and them, 1 Cor. v. 8. You may remember, that some pages before we made mention of one feast that they had together, but now to feast them was a thing more common ; every day with Mansoul was a feast day nowr. Nor did he, when they returned to their places, send them empty away; either
jut i f tnev must nave a ring» a gold chain, a
Marks oj the bracelet) a white stonej or something ; rnnce s Juvor. sq dear was Mwisoul t0 him noWj so
lovely was Mansoul in his eyes.*
Secondly, when the elders and townsmen did not come to him, he would send in much plenty of provision upon them ; meat that came from court, wine and bread that were prepared for his Father's table ; yea, such delicates would he send unto them, and therewith would so cover their table, that whoever saw it, confessed that the like could not be seen in any kingdom.
Thirdly, if Mansoul did not frequently visit him as he desired they should, he would walk out to them, knock at their doors, and desire entrance, that amity might be
* This describes the blessedness of a close walk with God, and the enjoyment of communion with him ; in thi§ happy state and frame every day is a feast day.
maintained betwixt them and him ; if they heard and opened to him, as commonly they would if they were at home, then would he renew his former love, and confirm it too, with some new tokens, and signs of continued fa- vor, Rev. iii. 20. Cant. v. 2.
And it was now amazing to behold, that in that very ,, place where sometimes Diabolus had his Mansoul s abo(Ie> and entertained the Diabolonians, to SlorV* the almost utter destruction of Mansoul, the
Prince of princes should sit eating and drinking with them, while all his mighty captains, men of war, trum- peters, with the singing-men and singing women of his Father, stood round about to wait upon them ! Now did Mansoul'scup run over, now did her conduits run sweet wine, now did she eat the finest of the wheat, and drink milk and honey out of the rock ! Now she said, how great is his goodness 1 for since I found favor in his eyes, how honorable have I been !
The blessed Prince also ordained a new officer in the town, Col. iii. 15, and a goodly person he was, his name was Mr. God's-peace ; this man was set over my Lord Will-be-will, my lord- mayor, Mr. Recorder the subor- dinate preacher, Mr. Mind, and over all the natives of the town of Mansoul. Himself was not a native of it, but came with the Prince Immanuel from the court. He was a great acquaintance of Captain Credence and Cap- tain Good-hope ; some say they were akin, and I am of that opinion too, Rom. xv. 13. This man, as I said, was made govorner of the town in general, especially over the castle, and Captain Credence was to help him there. And I made great observations of it, that so long as all things went in Mansoul as this sweet-natured gen- tleman would, the town was in a most happy condition. Now there were no jars, no chidings, no interferings, no unfaithful doings, in all the town of Mansoul, every man in Mansoul kept close to his own employment. The gentry, the officers, the soldiers, and all in place, observ- ed their order. And as for the women and children of Holv concefi- l^e town>tney followed their business joy-
,. , , " , fully, they would work and sine: from mor-
ions ana eooa . J ... J . . . Q. , .
thought mn£ night ; so that quite through the
town of Mansoul now nothing was to be found but harmony, quietness, joy, and health; and this
184
lasted all that summer. But there was a man in the town oi Mansoul, and his name was Mr. Carnal-security ; this man, after all the mercy bestowed upon this corporation, brought the town of Mansoul into great ai,d grievous slavery and bondage. A brief account of him, and his doings, take as followeth.*
CHAP. XII.
Carnal security prevailing in the Town; a Coolness takes place between Immanuel and the Inhabit ants.... He is offended^ and privately withdraws. ... Godly ~f tar publicly detects the Cause, and excites the People to destroy Carnal-security. ...Measures taken to procure the Re- turn of Immanuel.
WHEN Diabolus at first took possession of the town of Mansoul, he brought thither with himself a great number of Diabolonians, men of his own conditions.
rr, ' ' - Now among these there was one whose The story of !?. „ ,_ . . . .
Ttyr r, v f name was Mr. Self-conceit; and a notable
Mr. Carnal- ... . . ' . , ,
. brisk man he was, as any that in those days
"J' possessed the town of Mansoul. Diabolus,
_ ^ . then, perceiving this man to be active and
' .eJ~ bold, sent him upon many desperate de- signs: the whole which he managed better, and more to the pleasing of his lord, than most that came with him from the dens could do. Wherefore finding him so fit for his purpose, he preferred him, and made him next to the great Lord Will-be-will, of whom we have spoken so much before. Now the Lord Will-be- will, being in those days very well pleased with him and with his achievements, gave him his daughter, the Lady Fear-nothing, to wife. Now of my Lady Fear-nothing did
* " The peace of God, which passeth all understanding-, is ap- pointed to keep the heart and mind through Christ Jesus," Phil, iv. 7. Yea, it is authorized "to rule In the heart always, by all means." This is enjo) ed only in the exercise of faith. Happy the heart where God's peace takes the lead. It is the christian's first and dailv business to maintain this peace within, and then, all goes well
185
„ , . this Mr.Self.conceitbegetthis gentleman,
Carnal secun- M^ Carnal_securitv. Wherefore there ty s original. ^^ then fa Mansoul those strange kind of mixtures, it was hard for them, in some cases, to find out who were natives, who not ; for Mr. Carnal-security sprang from my Lord Will-be-will by his mother's side, though he had for his father a Diabolonian by nature.
Well, this Carnal-security took much after his father
jr. . and mother : he was self- conceited, he fear-
is qualities, ed notjimgj j,e was aiso a veiy kllSy man :
nothing of news, nothing of doctrine, nothing of alter- ation or talk of alteration, could at any time be on foot in Mansoul, but Mr. Carnal-security would be at the head or tail of it. But to be sure he would decline these that he deemed the weakest, and stood always with them (in his way of standing) that he supposed was the strong- est side.
Now when Shaddai the mighty, and Immanuel his Son, made war upon Mansoul to take it, this Mr. Carnal-se- curity was then in the town, and was a great doer among the people, encouraging them in their rebellion, and put- ting them upon hardening themselves in their resisting the King's forces : but when he saw that the town of Mansoul was taken and converted to the use of the glo- rious Prince Immanuel ; and when he also saw what was become of Diabolus, and how he was unroosted, and made to quit the castle in the greatest contempt and scorn ; and that the town of Mansoul was well lined with captains, engines of war, and men, and also provision ; what doth he but wheel about also, and, as he had serv- ed Diabolus against the good Prince, so he feigned that he would serve the Prince against his foes ; and, having got some little smattering of ImmanuePs things by the end (being boldj he ventures himself into the company of the townsmen, and attempts also to chat among them. Now he knew that the power and strength of the town of" Mansoul was great, and that it could not but be plea- sing to the people, if he cried up their might and their glory ; wherefore he beginneth his tale with the power Hoiu Mr Car- anc* strengtl1 of Mansoul, and affirmeth, nal-sccurity be- that U vvas impregnable; now magnify- gin* the misery inS the caPtalns> and their slings, and of Mansoul their rams; then crying up their fortifi-
cations and strong holds; and, lastly, the Q 2
186
assurance that they had from their Prince, that Mansoul should be happy for ever. But wh-n he saw that some of the men of the town were tickled and taken with this discourse, he makes it his business, and, walking from street to street, house to house, and man to man, he brought also Man.oul to dance after his pipe, and to grow almost can ally-secure as himself; so from talking they went to feasting, and from feasting to sporting, and so t0 some o^her matters (now lmmanuel was yet in the town of Mansoul, and he wisely observed their doings :) The hrads my ,or !-niay°l* r,f at i anc* M»*. Recorder, were also taken with
of ivianxoul , i r i • i- n. « «- .
seduced words of this tattling Diabolonian gen-
tleman; forgetting that their Prince had given them warning before, to take heed that they were not beguiled with any Diabolonian sleight ; he had fur- ther told them, that the security of the now flourishing town of Mansoul did not so much lie in her present for- tifications and force, as in her so using of what she had as might oblige her lmmanuel to abide within her castle. For the right doctrine of lmmanuel was, that the town of Mansou! should takejjheed that they forget not his Fa- ther's love and his ; also, that they should so demean themselves as to continue to keep themselves therein. Now this was not the way to do it, namely, to fall in love with one of the Diabolonians, and with such an one too as Mr. Carnal-security was, and to be led up and down by the nose by him : they should have heard their Prince, feared their Prince, loved their Prince, and have stoned this naughty pack to death, and taken care to have walk- ed in the ways of their Prince's prescribing ; for then should their peace have been as a river, when their right- eousness had been like the waves of the sea.*
* Carnal-security is well described, as it is the offspring of Self- conceit and Fear-nothing. This is one of those evils into which the professors of religion may be unwarily drawn ; and it proceeds from an abuse of the doctrines of grace. The true doctrine of God, as the author observes, is, that believers should not forget the love of the Father and of the Son, but so demean themselves as to continue therein ; but Carnal-security makes men trust to their fortifica. zions, then- privileges, rather than to the Lord ; and while they boast of perseverance take no care to persevere, but grow careless about prayer, communion with God, and coming to his table ; while pride, sloth, and conformitv to the world prevail. This spirit has been much encouraged lately by some preachers, and many have keen " tickled and taken with their discourse."
187
Now when Immanuel perceived that through the pol- icy of Mr. Carnal-security the hearts of the men of Man- soul were chilled and abated in their practical love to him ;
First, he bemoans them, and bewails their state with .- . , the secretary, saying, ** O that my peo-
Jmmanuel be- , had harkened ulUo me
moans Mansoul. Mansou, had walked in my ways . j
would have fed them with the finest of the wheat ; and with honey out of the rock would I have sustained them." This done, he said in his heart, I will return to the court, and go to my place, till Mansoul shall consider and ac- knowledge their offence. And he did so, and the cause and manner of his going away from them was thus, for that Mansoul declined him, as is manifest in these par- ticulars :
1. They left off their former way of visiting him, they came not to his royal palace as afore.
2. They did not regard, nor yet take notice, that he came, or came not to visit them.
3. The love-feasts that had wont to be between their Prince and them, though he made them still, and called them to them, yet they neglected to come to them, or to be delighted with them.
4. They waited not for his counsel, but began to be headstrong and confident in themselves, concluding that now they were strong and invincible, and that Mansoul was secure, and beyond all reach of the foe, and that her state must needs be unalterable for ever.
Now, as was said, Immanuel, perceiving, that, by the craft of Mr. Carnal-security, the town of Mansoul was taken off from their dependence upon him, and upon his Father by him, and set upon what by them was be- stowed upon it ; he first, as I said, bemoaned their state ;
He endeavors \hen he U,sed !?eaBS t0 ™ake them Un" to reclaim them, demand that the way they went on in was dangerous : lor he sent my lord high secretary to them, to forbid them such ways ; but twice when he came to them, he found them at dinner in Mr. Carnal-security's parlor; and perceiving also that
tr,, ,, they were not willing to reason about
They grieve the £ . &. , u . ,
jj i s*L . j matters concerning their good, he took Holy Ghost and ■ c j * u- tl u- u
£,, .. gnei and went his way. The which
when he had told to the Prince Imman-
188
uel, he was grieved also, and returned to his Father's court.
Christ with Now the met*lods of his withdrawing, as
draws not all l was saying before, were thus : at once^ 1- Even while he was yet with them in
Mansoul, he kept himself close, and more retired than formerly.
2. His speech was not now, if he came into their com- pany, so pleasant and familiar as formerly.
3. Nor did he, as in times past, send to Mansoul from liis table those dainty bits which he was wont to do.
4. Nor, when they came to visit him, as now and then they would, would he be so easily spoken with, as they
The working foun? hh? in times Pa?1' They might
*•** • sr now knock once, yea twice, but he would or their ajTec- ,, / j , ,
tion seem not at all to regard them ; whereas
formerly he would run and meet them half
way, and take them too and lay them in his bosom.*
Thus Immanuel carried it now ; and by this his car- riage he thought to make them bethink themselves, and return to him. But alas ! they did not consider, they did not know his ways, they regarded not, they were not touched with these, nor with the true remem- brance of former favors, Ezekiel xi. 21. Hosea v. 15- Leviticus xxvi. 21—24. Wherefore, what does he but in private manner withdraw himself, first from his palace, then to the gate of the town, and so away from Mansoul he goes, till they should acknowledge their offence, and more earnestly seek his face. Mr. God's-peace also laid down his commission, and would for the present act no longer. Thus they walked con- trary to him, and he again, by way of retaliation, walk- ed contrary to them, Jer ii. 52. But alas ! by this time they were so hardened in their way, and had so drunk in the doctrine of Mr Carnal-security, that the departing of their Prince touched them not, nor was he remem- bered by them when gone ; and so of consequence his absence was not bewailed by them.
ftow there was a day wherein this old gentleman, Mr.
* Carnal-security, however pleasing to the flesh, grieves the ho- ly Spirit, destroys spiritual comfort, and causes the Lord to with- draw from the soul. Miserable is this condition, and yet it is of- ten little observed or lamented, such is the hardness of the heart.
189
Carnal-security, again made a feast for the town of Man- . soul, and there was at that time in the
uhonMr tOWn °ne Mr G°d,y fear; °ne noW but lk~
C°dl 1 f' t^e SCt l)y,tnou^n formerly one of great re-
y-Jea quest. This man, old Carnal-security had a
mind, if possible, to gull and abuse as he did the rest, and
therefore he now bids him to the feast with his neigh-
w bor«. So the day being come, they
e goes o e preparCj ancj jie g0es an(j appears ^vith
feast, and sits the rest of the guests . and bein? all set
an*er * at the taMe' thcy atC and drank> and were
' ran3e ' merry, even all but this one man (for
Mr. Godly-fear sat like a stranger, and neither ate nor was merry ;) which when Mr. Carnal- security perceived, he addressed himself in a speech thus to him :
" Mr. Godly-fear, are you not well ? you seem to be
, of ill body or mind, or both. I have a cor-
lalk between diaj of Mr Forget.good's making, which
Mr. Carnal- se- g^ if yQU wiu take> j hQije k may make
cuntyandMr. yQU bonny and hxhh^ and SQ make yQU
y~Jear' more fit for us feasting companions." Unto whom the good old gentleman discreetly repli- ed: «« Sir, I thank you for all things courteous and civil ; but for your cordial, I have no list thereto. But a word to the natives of Mansoul : You the elders and chief of Mansoul, to me it is strange to see you so jocund and merry, when the town of Mansoul is in such woful case " Then said Mr. Carnal-security, " you want sleep, good Sir, I doubt. If you please, lie down and take a nap, and we the mean while will be merry."
Then said Mr. Godly-fear 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 V* Godly-fear. " Nay, pray interrupt me not. It is true, the town of Mansoul was strong, and (with a proviso) impregnable ; but you have weakened it, and it now lies obnoxious to its foes ; nor is it a time to be silent ; it is you, Mr. Carnal-security, that have 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
190
Mr Godlv fear my lords ot Mansoul> and y°u> Sir, grew
explains himself. 1° *"*'' P™ th* TV^ Stl]enSt\of 1 J Mansoul has been offended, and now he
is risen and is gone. If any shall question the truth of my words, I will answer him by this and such-like ques- tions : Where is the Prince Immanuel ? 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 with- out, 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. God- ly-fear, fie ! Will you never shake off your timorous- ness ? 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 Immanuel 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 Ins going ; and if that is not a sign of his anger, I am not acquainted with the me- thods of godliness.
" And now, my lords and gentlemen, my speech .is
still to you. You gradually declining from
His speech to Mm^ provoked him to depart from you ;
at i the which he dld SradualIy> if perhaps you
Mansoul. wouj(i have been made sensible thereby,
and have been renewed by humbling yourselves : but when he saw that none would regard, or lay these fear- ful beginnings of his anger and judgment to heart, he went away from this place ; and this I saw with mine own eyes. Wherefore now, while you boast, your strength is gone ; you are like the man that had lost •his locks which before waved about his shoulders. You may, with this lord of your feast, shake yourselves,
191
and think 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 r, . by name, he that of old was recorder of Man-
. . soul, being startled at what was said, began to second it thus :
Conscience. « 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. 1 am afraid that all is nought with Mansoul."
Godly-fear. " Nay, I know that you will not find him in Mansoul, for he is departed and gone ; yea, and gone for the faults of tiie elders, and for that they rewarded his grace with unsnfferable unkLndnesses."
Then did the subordinate preacher look as if he would
m fall down dead at the table ; also all there
They are , r . i L
// V' ^ present, except the man ol the house, be- gan to look pale and wan. But having a lit- tle recovered themselves, and jointly agreeing to believe Mr. Godly-fear and his sayings, they began to consult what was best to be done [now Mr. Carnal- security was gone into his withdrawing room, for he liked not such dumpish doings] both to the man of the house, for draw- ing them into evil, and also to recover Immanuel's love. Then the saying of their Prince came very hot into
rr,. ,, their minds, concerning the false pro-
They consult, , , , ' ,, . * , , , A. r
j, . r phets that should arise to delude the town
and burn thar rr , , , e , , ,, P .
r . . of Mansoul. So they took Mr. Carn;U-se-
feast'inaker. . , , .. * , . N
J curity (concluding that he was the person)
and burnt his house upon him with fire, for he also was
a Diabolonian by nature. t
* The fear of God in the heart is placed there to prevent utter apostacy, and to detect that carnal security which proves so mis- chievous. Godly-fear cannot enjoy that carnal mirth which securi- ty provides, nor stupify himself with Forget-good's cordial ; but boldly remonstrates against that gradual decline in religion which occasioned the Lord to withdraw his gracious presence :
" So Samson, when his hair was lost,
Met the Philistines to his cost ;
Shook his vain limbs with sad surprise,
Made feeble fight, and lost his eyes." Watts. j Carnal-security is such an enemy to the soul, hat he should be- utterly destroyed. When conscience is roused to oppose this de»
192
When this was past and over, they bespeed themselves yy '.'. to look for Immanuel their Trince,
themJvetto ™d "'^7 sought him, but
the Holy Ghott ; *«* fol"K Llum ** •' ,hen ""%*?
I , r more confirmed in the truth of Mr.
but he is gnev- ^ .. r , . , .
. ^ ° (j 'dly Fear s sayings, and began also
severely to reflect upon themselves for their vile and ungodly doings ; for they concluded now, that their Prince had left them.
Then they agreed and went to my lord secretary, whom before they refused to hear, and had grieved with their doings, to know of him (for he was a seer, and could tell where Immanuel was) how they might direct a petition to him. But the lord secretary would not ad- mit them to a conference about this matter, nor would admit them to his royal palace, nor come out to them, Isa, lxiii. 10. Eph. iv. 30 1. Thess v. 19.
Now was it a day gloomy and dark, a day of clouds and of thick darkness with Man soul. Now they saw that they had been foolish, and began to perceive what the company and prattle of Mr. Carnal-security had done, and what desperate damage his swaggering words had brought poor Mansoul into : but what further it was like- ly to cost them, that they were ignorant of- Now Mr. Godly-fear began to be in great repute with the men of the town ; yea, they were ready to look upon him as a prophet.
Well, when the sabbath-day was come, they went to A th d ' *iear tne*r subordinate preacher ; but oh, 6 how did it thunder and lighten this day ! His texr was that in the prophet Jonah, " They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mer- cies/' ch. ii 8. But there vvas then such power and au- thority in that sermon, and such a dejection seen in the countenances of the people that day, that the like hath seldom been heard or seen. The people, when sermon was done, were scarce able to go to their homes, or to betake themselves to their employs the week after ; they were so sermon-smitten, and also so sermon-sick, that they knew not what to do, Hos. vi. 13. He not only
ceitful foe the business will be done ; and measures will be taken to procure, if possible, the return of forfeited blessings.
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_ ,. , shewed Mansoul their sin, but trem-
The subordinate bled bcfore them under the sense of
preacher acknowl- ^ ^ . Qut of himself as
edges his faulted ^ hed t0 lh « Unhappy man
bewails his comply ^ j am , tha| x ghould do aVicked ancenvithMr. Car- ^^ , ^ ^ a preacher , whom the nui-aecumy* prince did set up to teach Mansoul
his law, should myself live senseless and sottishly here, and be one of -the first found in transgression ! This transgression also fell within my precincts : I should have cried out against the wickedness ; but I let Man- soul lie wallowing in it, until it had driven Immanuel from its borders. With these things he also charged all the lords and gentry of Mansoul, to the almost distract- ing of them, Psalm Ixxxviii.
About this time also there was a great sickness in the
a „„ , ., town of Mansoul, and most of the inhab-
A great sickness . , \, m. ^ , a1_
in Mansoul ltants were SrcatIy afflicted : yea, the
captains also and men of war were brought thereby to a languishing condition, and that for a long time together ; so that in case of an invasion, nothing could to purpose now have been done, either by the townsmen or field officers, Heb. xii. 12, 13. Rev. iii. 2. Isa. iii. 24. Oh, how many pale faces, weak hands, feeble knees, and staggering men, were now seen to walk the streets of Mansoul ! Here were groans, there pants, and yonder lay those that were ready to faint.
The garments too, which Immanuel had given them, were but in a sorry case ; some were rent, some were torn, and all in a nasty condition ; some also hung so loosely upon them, that the next bush they came at was ready to pluck them off.
After some time spent in this sad and desolate condi- tion, the subordinate preacher called for a day of fasting, and to humble themselves for being so wicked against Boanerges ^ie Sreat Shaddai and his Son : and he de- lireaches in s"ed tIiat Captain Boanerges would preach ; Mansoul. wn*ch he consented to do : and the day be- ing come, his text was this : l why cumbereth it the ground ?'■■* and a very smart ser- mon he made upon the text. First, he shewed what was the occasion of the words, to wit, " because the fig- tree was barren." Then he shewed what was contained
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in the sentence, to wit* repentance or utter desolation. He next shewed by whose authority tiiis sentence was pronounced, and that was by Shaddai himself. And last- ly, he shewed the reasons of the point: and then con- cluded his sermon. But he was very pertinent in the application, insomuch that he made poor Mansoul trem- ble : for this sermon, as well as the former, wrought much upon the hearts of the men of Mansoul ; yea, it greatly helped to keep awake those that Were roused by the preaching that went before ; so that now throughout the whole town there was little or nothing to be heard or seen but sorrow, and mourning, and woe.*
Now after sermon they got together, and consulted
Then consult wliat was best t0 be done- •But 5a,d tne » hat to do subordinate preacher, I will do nothing of my own head, without advising with my neighbor Mr. Godly-fear. So they called and sent for Mr. Godly-fear, and he forthwith appeared. Then they desired that he would further shew his opinion about what they had best to do : whereupon the old gentle- man said as followeth ; " It is my opinion that this town of Mansoul should, in this day of her distress, draw up and send an humble petition to their offended Prince Im- manuel, that he, in favor and grace, will turn again unto them, and not keep his anger for ever.
When the townsmen had heard this speech, they unan- Theu send the imously agreed to his advice ; so they pre- , ,y ". sently drew up their request : and the next
lord-mayor to *. r ,» / 1 u •* >
court question was, But who shall carry it?
At last they all agreed to send it by my lord-mayor, who accepted the service, and addressed himself to his journey ; after which, he came to the court of Shaddai, whither Immanuel the Prince of Man- soul was gone, Lam. iii. 8, 44 ; but the gate was shut, and a strict watch kept thereat ; so that the petitioner was forced to stand without for a great while togeth- er. Then he desired that some would go in to the Prince, and tell him who stood at the gate, and also what
* Boanerges, who was one of the first messengers to the town, had withdrawn, and milder preachers were introduced, as more suit- ed to the state of Mansoul ; but now they need to be roused from their sloth, and Boanerges preaches again. In time* of spiritual declension awakening sermons are very useful.
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his business was. Accordingly one went and told Shad- dai and Immanuel his Son, that the lord-mayor of the town of Mansoul stood without at the gate of the King's court, desiring to be admitted into the presence of the Prince, the King's Son. He also told the lord-mayor's errand both to the King and his Son Immanuel. But the Prince would not come down, nor admit that the gate should be opened, but sent an answer to this effect, Jer. ii. 27, 28. " They have turned their back unto me, arid not their face ; but now, in the time of their trou- Lle, they say unto me, Arise and save us. But can they not now go to Mr. Carnal-security, to whom they went when they turned from me, and make him their leader, their lord, and their protector? And now in their trouble they visit me, from whom in their prosperity they went astray.
This answer made my lord-mayor look black in the face ; it troubled, it perplexed, it rent him sore, Lam. iv. 7, 8. And now he began to see what it was to be fa- miliar with Diabolonians, such as Mr. Carnal-security was. When he saw that at court (as yet) there was lit-
r„. 7 , tie help to be expected, either for him-
The lord-mayor ... K. . , • AT , ,
,? sell or tnends in Mansoul ; he smote returns, ana honv. .. , , ,
upon his breast, and returned weep- ing, and all the way bewailing the lamentable state of Mansoul.
When he was come within sight of the town, the el- ders and chief of the people of Mansoul went out at the gate to meet him, and to salute him, and to know how he sped at court. But he told them his tale in so dole-
,r, , . r ful a manner, that they all cried out and 1 he state of . -\ * __T1 r .
MansoulnL. mourned and wept. Wherefore they tnrew ashes and dust upon their heads, and put sackioth upon their loins, and -went crying out through the town of Mansoul ; which when the rest of the townsfolk saw, they all mourned and wept. This therefore was a day of rebuke, trouble, and anguish to the town of Mansoul, and also of great distress.
After sometime, when they had somewhat recovered Th^y again con- ^selves, they came together to con- sultMr. Godly- £!t agam what was yet to be done ; and fear for Ins ad- ^ £sked^vice Jf they did before, of vice. the Rev. Mr. Godly-fear ; who told
them, that there was no way better to
196
do than to do as they had done, nor would he that they
should be discouraged at all with what they had met
with at court; yea, though several of their petitions
should be answered with nought but silence or rebuke ;
for said he, it is the way of the wise Shaddai to make
men wait, and to exercise patience ; and it should be
the way of them in want to be willing to stay his leisure.
Then they took courage, and sent again and again,
r, .' . and aerain and aeain ; for there was not
Ice now iu/:a( is , & , .1' . in
. . „ a day nor an hour, that went over Man-
the work or a .£_ . , . . .
..... . soul s head, wherein a man might not
tockfdingtamt j met on the road one *, othep
riding post from Man soul to the court
r, ... of Kin?- Shaddai, and all with letters
Groaning desires. . . ° , ', 1P -, , ,. .
petitionary in behalt of, and for the
Prince's return to Mansoul. The road, I say, was now full of messengers, going and returning, and meeting one another ; some from the court, and some from Man- soul ; and this was the work of the miserable town of Mansoul ail that long, that sharp, that cold and tedious winter.* -
Now you may remember that I told you before, that after Immanuel had taken Mansoul, yea, and A memento. afterhe had new-modelled the town, there re- mained, in several lurking-places of the corporation, many of the old Diabolonians, that either came with the ty- rant, when he invaded and took the town, or that had there (by reason of unlawful mixtures in their birth, bleeding, and bringing up) their holes, dens, and lurk- ing-places, in, under, or about the walls of the town ; some oPtheir names are, the Lord Fornication, the Lord Adultery, the Lord Murder, the Lord Anger, the Lord Lasciviousness, the Lord Deceit, the Lord Evil-eye, the Lord Blasphemy, and that horrible villain the old and dangerous Lord Covetousness ; these, with many more, had yet their abode in the town of Mansoul, even after Immanuel had driven Diabolus out of the castle.
Against these the good Prince granted a commission
* Prayer, at all times necessary, becomes peculiarly seasonable when a state of backsliding is discovered. Prayer may not imme- diately receive an answer, nor forfeited comtort return ; but, *a Godly-fear said, there is no better way than to pray and pray again, and wait the Lord's leisure.
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to the Lord Will-be-will and others, yea, to the whole town of Mansoul, to seek, take, secure, and destroy, any or all that they could lay hands of; for that they were Diabolonians by nature, enemies to the Prince, and those who sought to ruin the blessed town of Mansoul. But Mansoul did not pursue this warrant, Mansoul heeded butneglected to apprehend, secure, and not the Prince a destroy tnoSe Diabolonians ; wherefore caution, nor put what do these viUains, but by degrees his commission take courage l0 shew themselves to the m execution. inhabitants of the town ; yea, and as I was told, some of the men of Mansoul grew too familiar with several of them, to the sorrow of the corporation, as you will hear more in time and place.*
CHAP. XIII.
The Diabolonians take Courage from the Departure of Immanuel, and Plots are formed in concert with Hell, for a counter Revolution in Mansaul — Covetousness, Lasciviousness, and Anger, by changing their Names, are introduced into respectable Families, where they corrupt their Masters, and do incredible Mischief — An Army of Twenty Thousand Doubters is raised to sur- prise the Tovjn.
WHEN the Diabolonian lords perceived that Man- soul had, through sinning, offended Immanuel their Prince, and that he had withdrawn himself and was Th D' h I Sone> wnat do they but plot the ruin of the . , ., town of Mansoul ! Accordingly they met
^ together at the hold of one Mr. Mischief,
who was a Diabolonian, and here consulted how they
* When Mansoul first received Immanuel, a strict charge was given to discover and destroy the Diabolonians ; but this was too much neglected : the consequence was, that they became to Man- soul what the Canaanites were to Israel, according to the predic- tion, Numb, xxxiii. 55. " If ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell."
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Now some advised one way, and some another, every man according to his own liking. At last my Lord Las- civiousness proposed, that some of the Diabolonians in Mansoul should offer themselves for servants to some of the natives of the town ; for, said he, if they do so, and Mansoul shall accept of them, they may for us, and for Diabolus our lord, make the taking of the town of Man- soul more easy than otherwise it would be. But then stood up the Lord Murder, and said, This may not be done at this time, for Mansoul is now in a kind of rage, because, by our friend Mr. Carnal-security, she hath been once ensnared already, and made to offend against her Prince ; and how shall she reconcile herself unto her Lord again, but by' the heads of these men ? Besides, we know that they have in commission to take and slay us where- ever they shall find us ; let us therefore be wise as foxes : when we are dead, we can do them no hurt ; but while we live, we may.
Thus, when they had tossed the matter too and fro,
m, , , they jointly agreed that a letter should
1 hey send to , . ', J , ' ^ ta- l i
h 11 f d ' forthwith be sent away to Diabolus in jor a vice, t^eir name, by which the state of the town of Mansoul should be shewed him, and how much it is under the frowns of their Prince ; we may also, said some, let him know our intentions, and ask his advice in the case. So a letter was presently framed, the contents of which were these : *
** To our great Lord, the Prince Diabolus^ dwelling belo'uy in the Infernal Cave,
" O great father, and mighty prince Diabolus, we the true Diabolonians, yet remaining in the rebellious town of Mansoul, having received our beings from thee, and our nourishment at thy hands, cannot with content and quiet endure to behold, as we do this day, how thou art dispraised, disgraced, and reproached among the inhabi- tants of this town ; nor is thy long absence at all delight- ful to us, because greatly to our detriment.
" The reason of this our writing to our lord, is, that we are not altogether without hope that this town may become thy habitation again : for it is greatly declined from its Prince Immanuel, and he is departed from
199
them ; yea, and though they send and send and send af- ter him, to return to them, yet can they not prevail, nor get good words from him.
u There has been also of late, and is yet remaining, a very great sickness and faintings among them ; and that not only upon the poorer sort of the town, but upon the lords, captains, and chief gentry of the place ; [we on- ly, who are Diabolonians by nature, remain well, lively and strong ;] so that through their great transgression on one hand, and their dangerous sickness on the other, we judge they lie open to thy hand and power. If there- at v ,, fore it shall stand with thy horrible
?y propose a cunnjn~ an(j wj^ tiie cunning of the second attempt e
. ^ , rest ot the princes with thee, to come
agmnitMaiuoul. ^ make £ aUempt tQ take Mansoui
again, send us word, and we shall to our utmost power be ready to deliver it into thy hand. Or if what we have said, shall not be thought best and most meet to be done, send us thy mind in a few words, and we are all ready to follow thy counsel, to the hazard of our lives, and what else we have.
w Given under our hands this day and date above writ- ten, after a close consultation at the house of Mr. Mischief, who is yet alive, and hath his place in our desirable town of Mansoui."
When Mr. Profane (for he was the carrier) was come Mr Profane is car. fth ,thjs letter to Hellgate-hill, he
Tier; hearings the ^ *r u g ?i Cntra"Ce'
letter to Hetlgate- ?hen ** Cerberiw the porter (for m and Presents it ^ "aS the keeper of that gate) open
to Cerberus the t0 *'\ Pfofane V- VI T a ! d*T ilorUr ered his letter which he had brought
from the Diabolonians in Mansoui. So he carried it in, and presented it to Diabolus his lord, and said tidings, my lord, from Mansoui ; and from our trusty friends in Mansoui.
Then came together Beelzebub, Lucifer, Apollyon, with the rest of the rabble there, to hear what news from Mansoui. So the letter was read, and Cerberus stood by. When the letter was openly read, and the con- tents thereof spread into all the corners of the den, command was given, that, without leu or stop, Dead-
200
Deadman', bell, ™ "i5 be" shouId bc *** [orl°r- 9s
and hov, it vent. !he b?" T™*' ,a"d "?, PrmCeS "*" joiced that Mansoul was like to come
to ruin. Now the clapper of the bell went, M The town of Mansoul is coming to dwell with us ; make room for Mansoul." This bell, therefore, they rang, because they hoped that they should have Mansoul again.*
Now when they had performed this their horrible cer- emony, they got together again, to consult what answer to send to their friends in Mansoul ; and some advised one thing, and some another : but at length, because the business required haste, they left the whole business to Diabolus, judging him the most proper lord of the place. So he drew up a letter in answer to what Mr. Profane had brought, and sent it to the Diabolonians in Mansoul, by the same hand that brought their's to him *r and these were the contents thereof:
* To our Offspring, the high and mighty Diabolonians that
- - . c vet dwell in the Town of Mansoul ; Di-
A letter Irom - , , .. . n . J ~ n/r , • .
-.. , . , abolus, the great rrmce of MansouLivish-
Diabolus to the . ' .° r * . ~ , \ ~
t^. , , . eth a firoshercus Issue and Conclusion of Diabolonians, , , r * ■ n *:•
. . * those many brave Enterfirizes, Consfii-
^J* . racies and Designs, that you, of your
Love and Resfiect to our Honor, have in
your Hearts to attempt to do against Mansoul.
" Beloved children and disciples, my Lord Fornica- tion, Adultery, and the rest ; we have here, in our des- olate den, received, to our highest joy and content, your welcome letter, by the hand of our trusty Mr. Profane : and to shew how acceptable your tidings were we rang out our bell for gladness ; for we rejoiced as much as we could, when we perceived that yet we had friends in Mansoul, and such as sought our honor and revenge in the ruin of the town of Mansoul. We also rejoice to hear that they are in a degenerate condition, have offend- ed their Prince, and that he is gone. Their sickness al-
* Wilful departure from God gives courage to our spiritual foes, who rejoice in the hope of making backsliders apostates. Satan will renew his temptations with double force ; while lascivous- ness, murder, and mischief will unite with him in cunning devices t© ruin the soul.
201
so pleaseth us, as does also your health, might, and strength. Glad also would we be, right horribly belov- ed, could we get this town into our clutches again Nor will we be sparing of our wit, cunning, craft, and hellish inventions, to bring to a wished conclusion this your brave beginning.
" And take this for your comfort, our birth and off- spring, that if we again surprise and take it, we will at- tempt to put all your foes to the sword, and will make you the great lords and captains of the place. Nor need you fear (if ever we get it again) that we after that shall be cast out any more ; for we will come with more strength, and so take faster hold than we did at first. Be- sides, it is the law of that Prince, which now they own, that if we get them a second time, they shall be our's for ever. Matt. xii. 43 — 45.
" Do you therefore, our trusty Diabolonians, yet more pry into, and endeavor to spy out, the weakness of the town of Mansoul. We would also that you yourselves do attempt to weaken them more and more. Send us word also by what means we had best to attempt the re- gaining thereof, to wit, whether by persuasion to a vain and loose life ; by tempting them to doubt and despair ; or by blowing up the town by the gunpowder of pride and self-conceit.* Do you also, O ye brave Diabolo- nians, and true sons of the pit, be always in a readiness to make a most horrid assault within, when we shall be ready to storm it without. Nov,- speed you in your pro- ject, and we in our desires, the utmost power of our gates, which is the wish of your great Diabolus, Man- soul's enemy, and him that trembles when he thinks of judgment to come. All the blessings of the pit be upon you ! and so we close up our letter.
m " Given at the pit's mouth, by the joint consent of all the princes of darkness, to be sent (to the force and power that we have yet remaining in Mansoul) by the hand of Mr. Profane.
"Byrne, DIABOLUS." This letter was sent to the Diabolonians that yet re- mained in Mansoul, and that yet inhabited the wall, from
* Three means of destruction are proposed in hell : 1. A vicious life. 2. Despair of mercy. 3. Prevailing- pride; either of these would prove our ruin. But grace prevents,
202
the dark dungeon of Diabolus, by the hand of Mr. Pro- fane, by whom they also in Mansoul sent their's to the
Profane comes pit' N°VV when this Mr' Profane return- LnJ !„„,„ ed to Man sou i, he came, as he was wont, home again. . , ' ,_ '. . . ., r
° to the house of Mr. Mischief, for tnat
was the place where the contrivers were met. Now when they saw that their messenger was returned safe and sound, they rejoiced at it. Then he presented them his letter ; which when they had read and considered, much augmented their gladness. They asked him af- ter the welfare of their friends ; as how their Lord Di- abolus, Lucifer, and Beelzebub did, with the rest of those in the den. To which this Profane made answer, Well, well, my lords, they are well, even as well as can be in their place. They also, said he, rang for joy at reading your letter, as you will perceive by this, when you read it.
Now, as was said, when they had read their letter, and perceived that it encouraged them in their work, they fell to their way of contriving again, how they might complete their design upon Mansoul ; and the first thing they agreed upon, was, to keep all things from Mansoul as close as they couid.* Let it not be known, let not Mansoul be acquainted with what we design against it. The next thing was, how or by what means they 77 /)'•'/ snou^ tr7 t0 bring to pass the ruin and 1.7 ,~ overthrow of Mansoul : and one said after mans Mot the .. , , • , f ,,
' ~ this manner, and another said alter that.
o~vei iro
right Diabolonian friends, our lords, and the high ones of the dungeon propound unto us these three ways:
1. Whether we had best to seek its ruin by making Mansoul loose and vain : ,_
2. Or, by driving them to doubt and despair : . '
3. Or, by endeavoring to blow them up with the gun- powder of pride and self-conceit.
Now I think, if we shall tempt them to pride, that may do something ; and if we tempt them to wantonness, that may help. But in my mind, if we could drive them
* Were the stratagems of satan obvious, they would not succeed Let us not be ignorant of his devices.
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into desperation, that would knock the nail on the head ; for then we should have them, in the first place, ques- tion the truth of the love of the heart of their Prince to- wards them, and that will disgust him much. This, if it works well, will quickly make them leave off their way of sending petitions to him ; then farewell earnest solicitations for help and supply ; for then this conclu- sion lies naturally before them, 4i As good do nothing, as to do to no purpose." So they unanimously approved of Mr. Deceit's advice.
Then the next question was, But how shall we do to bring our project to pass ? And it was answered by the same gentleman, that this might be the best way to do j,, . . it: Even let, quoth he, so many of our
. , n/T friends, as are willing to venture them- given by Mr. . ' , P - ~ . . .
jj . * selves for the promoting ot their prince's
cause, disguise themselves with apparel, change their names, and go into the market like far- country men, and proffer themselves for servants to the famous town of Mansoul, and let them pretend to do for their masters as beneficially as may be : for by so doing they may, if Mansoul shall hire them, in little time s.o corrupt and defile the corporation, that her now Prince shall be not only further offended with them, but in con- clusion spue them out of his mouth. And when this is done, our prince Diabolus shall prey upon them with ease ; yea, of themselves, they shall fall into the mouth of the eater.
This project was no sooner propounded, but was as readily accepted, and forward were all Diabolonians now to engage in the enterprize : but it was not thought fit that all should do thus ; wherefore they pitched on two or three, namely, the Lord Covetousness, the Lord Lasciviousness, and the Lord Anger : the Lord Covet- ousness called himself by the name of Prudent-thrifty ; the Lord Lasciviousness called himself by the name of Harmless-mirth; and the Lord Anger called himself by the name of Good-zeal.*
So upon a market-day they came into the market-
* How deceitful is sin ! how seldom does it own its true name ; it deceives the soul by plausible appearance,, and is too ofte • en- tertained to our unspet.kable injury. Had these villains owned their true names, who would have received them }
204
place ; three lusty fellows they were to look on, and they were clothed in sheeps-russet: which was now in a man- ner as white as the robes of the men of Mansoul. Now the men could speak the language of Mansoul well : so when they came into the market-place, and offered themselves to the townsmen, they were presently enter- tained , for they asked but littfe wages, and promised to do their masters great service.
Mr. Mind hired Prudent-thrifty, and Mr. Godly-fear hired Good-zeal. True, this fellow, Harmless-mirth, hung a little in hand, and could not so soon get a master as the others did, because the town of Mansoul was now in Lent ; but aiter a while, because Lent was almost out, Lord Will-be-will hired Harm!: io be both his
waiting-man and his lacquey ; and thus they got them masters.
These villains, being now got into the houses of the
„ a men of Mansoul, quickly beoran to
Covetousness, , . . ,. J r v* ■ r u ■
j . . do great mischief therein ; for, being
... A \ filthy, arch, and sly, they quickly cor-
and An per* work }\ , c •,• . 7 ,
. . . % . ' rupted the families where they were ; mischief in the r , .... J ,
i. ,r , yea, they tainted their masters much,
town of Mansoul. 3 ' . ./ .. „ , t . .c ,.r;
J especially this Prudcnt-thrilty, and him
they called Harmless-mirth. True, he that went under the visor of Good-zeal was not so well liked by his mas- ter, who quickly found that he was but a counterfeit ras- cal ; which when the fellow perceived, he with speed made his escape from the house, or I doubt not but his master had hanged him.*
When these vagabonds had thus far carried on their design, and corrupted the town as much as they could, in the next place they considered with themselves, at what time their prince Diabolus without, and themselves within the town, should make an attempt to seize upon Mansoul ; and they all agreed upon this, that a market-
*\Vhen covetousness prevails in the mind, and lasciviousness corrupts the will, how great is the mischief that must ensue; the former prevails unperceived under the idea of prudent thrift, and the latter acquires dominion under the notion of harmless mirth ; let heads of families be on their guard against the one, and young- people especially against the other. Covetousness is spirit- ual idolatry, and infinitely hateful to God. Lasciviousness is a sin that, in a peculiar manner, defiles the sou), and grieves the Holy Spirit.
205
day would be the best for that work ; because then the townsfolk will be busy in their ways : and always take this for a rule, " when people are most busy in the world, they least fear a surprise."* We also then, said they, shall be able with less suspicion to gather our- selves together for the work of our friends and lords ; yea, on such a day should we attempt our work, and miss it, we may, when they give us the rout, better hide ourselves in the crowd, and escape.
_ . Having thus far agreed upon these
The Diabolomans thi they wrote another letter to
send another let- Diaboius, and sent it by the hand of
ter to Diaboius. Mf Profane . the contents of which
were these :
" The Lords of Looseness send to the great and high Dia- boius, from our dens-, caves, holds, and strong-holds, in and about the wall of the town of Mansoul, greeting.
" Our great lord, and the nourisher of our lives, Dia- boius; how glad we were, when we heard of your father- hood's readiness to comply with us, and to forward our design, in attempting to ruin Mansoul ; none can tell but those, who, as we do, set themselves against all ap- pearance of good, when and wheresoever we find it, Rom. vii. 21. Gal. v. 17.
" Touching the encouragement that your greatness is pleased to give us, to continue to devise, contrive, and study the utter desolation of Mansoul, that we are not solicitous about ; for we know right well, that it cannot but be pleasing and profitable to us, to see our enemies, and them that seek our lives, die at our feet, or fly before us. We therefore are still contriving, to the best of our cunning, to make this work more facile and easy to your lordship, and to us.
u First, we considered of that most hellishly cunning, compacted, threefold project, that by you was propound- ed to us in your last ; and have concluded, that though to blow them up with the gun-powder of pride would do well, and to do it by tempting them to be loose and vain
* Let busy tradesmen, and all who are deeply engaged in world- ly concerns, mark this well. Take care of your hearts on market- days. Be diligent in business, but fervent in spirit, watching un- to prayer.
s
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will help on, yet to contrive to bring them into the gulf of desperation, we think will do best of all. Now we who are at your beck, have thought of two ways to do this : first, we, for our parts, will make them as vile as we can, and then you with us, at a time appointed, shall be ready to fall upon them with the utmost force. And of all the nations that are at your whistle, we think that an army of doubters may be the most likely to attack and Jin army of doubt- ?™'co™ /he town of Mansoul.* ers proposed to be ™US s*a11 w* overcome these ene- sent against Man- mies\ else th* PU shall open her €0vl ° mouth upon them, and desperation
shall thrust them down into it. We have also, to effect this our so much wished design, sent already three of our trusty Diabolonians among them ; they are disguised in garb, have changed their names, and are now accepted of them, to wit, Covetousness, Lasciviousness, and Anger. The name of Covetousness is changed into Prudent-thrifty, and him Mr. Mind has hired, and is almost become as bad as our friend. Lascivi- ousness has changed his name to Harmless-mirth, and he has got to be the Lord Wiil-be-will's lacquey ; but he has made his master very wanton. Anger changed his name into Good-zeal, and was entertained by Mr. Godly- fear, but the peevish old gentleman took pepper in the nose, and turned our companion out of his house : nay, he has informed us since, that he ran away from him, or else his old master had hanged him for his labor. t Now these have much helped forward our work and design upon Mansoul ; for notwithstanding the spite and quar- relsome temper of the old gentleman last mentioned, the other two ply their business well, and are likely to ripen, the work apace.
" Our next project is, that it be concluded that you come upon the town upon a market-day, and that when they are upon the heat of their business ; for then to be sure they will be most secure, and least think that an assault will be made upon them. They will also at such
* This scheme is contrived with consummate skill : first, let the christian be drawn into a light, vain, worldly walk, "make him as vile as vou can," and then assault him with doubts and fears *bout his salvation. Tiiis plan too often succeeds.
7 Godly-fear cannot long entertain sinful anger.
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a time be less able to defend themselves, and to offend you in the prosecution of our design. And we your trus- ty (and we are sure your beloved) ones shall, when you make your furious assault without, be ready to second the business within. So shall we in all likelihood be able to put Mansoul to utter confusion, and swallow them up before they can come to themselves. If your serpentine heads, most subtle dragons, and our highly esteemed lords, can find out a better way than this, let us quickly know your minds. " To the Monsters of the infernal cave, from the house
of Mr. Mischief, in Mansoul, by the hand of Mr.
Profane."
Now all the while that the raging runnagades, and hel- lish Diabolonians were thus contriving the ruin of the town of Mansoul, they, to wit, the poor town Tfe*ad sta!e itself, was in a sad and woful case, part- em ManaouL ]y because they hac\ so grievously offended
Shaddai and his Son, and partly because that the enemies thereby got strength within them afresh, and also be- cause though they had by many petitions made suit to the Prince Immanuel, and to his Father Shaddai by him, for their pardon and favor, yet hitherto obtained they not one smile ; but contrariwise, through the craft and sub- tilty of the domestic Diabolonians, their cloud was made to grow blacker and blacker, and their Immanuel to stand at farther distance. The sickness also still great- ly raged in Mansoul, but among the captains, and the inhabitants of the town, their enemies, and their enemies only, were now lively and strong ; and like to become the head, whilst Mansoul was made the tail.*
By this time the letter last mentioned, that was written by the Diabolonians that yet lurked in the town of Man- soul, was conveyed to Diabolus, in the black den, by the hand of Mr. Profane. He carried the letter by Hell-gate- hill as afore, and conveyed it by Cerberus to his lord.
But when Cerberus and Mr. Profane met, they were presently great as beggars, and thus they fell into dis- course about Mansoul, and about the project against her.
* Backsliding from God naturally produces clouds that grow blacker and blacker; corruptions grow stronger and stronger ; while grace in the soul becomes sick and weakly.
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Talk between Ah ! old friend> him and Cer- thou come t0 HelI-gate-hill again ? By St. berus Mary, I am glad to see thee.
Profane. Yes, my lord, I am come again about the concerns of the town of Mansoul.
Cerberus. Prithee tell me, what condition is that town of Mansoul in at present ?
Profane. In a brave condition, my lord, for us, and for my lords, the lords of this place, I trow ; for they are greatly decayed as to godliness, and that's as well as our heart can wish ; their Lord is greatly out with them, and that doth also please us well. We have already also a foot in their dish, for our Diabolonian friends are laid in their bosoms, and what do we lack but to be masters of the place ? Besides, our trusty friends in Mansoul are daily plotting to betray it to the lords of this town ; also the sickness rages bitterly among them, and that which makes up all, we hope at last to prevail.
Then said Cerberus, no time like this to assault them. I wish that the enterprize be followed close, and that the success desired may be soon effected : yes, I wish it for the poor Diabolonians' sakes, that live in the continual fear of their lives in that traitorous town of Mansoul.
Profane. The contrivance is almost finished, the lords in Mansoul that are Diabolonians are at it day and night ; and the other are like silly doves, they want heart to be concerned with their state, and to consider that ruin is at hand* Besides, you may, yea, must think, when you put all things together, that there are many reasons that prevail with Diabolus to make what haste he can.
Cerberus. Thou hast said as it is, I am glad things are at this pass. Go in, my brave Profane, to my lords, they will give thee for thy welcome as good a coranto as this kingdom will afford. I have sent thy letter in already.
Then Mr. Profane went into the den, and his lord Di-
, abolus met him, and saluted him with,
Profane s e?i- wejcome? mv trusty servant, I have been
tertainment. ma(|e glad with thy letter# The rest of the
lords of the pit gave him also their salutations. Then Profane, after obeisance made to them all, said, let Man-
• This is the misery of the case ; backsliding souls want heart to consider their own state. This shews the great importance pf Pvigilance and. self-examination.
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soul be given to my lord Diabolus, and let: him be her king for ever. And with that the yawning gorge of hell gave so loud and hideous a groan (for that is the music of that place) that it made the mountains about it totter, as if they would fall in pieces.
Now after they had read and considered the letter, they consulted what answer to return, and the first that spake to it was Lucifer.
Lucifer. Then said he, the first project of the Diabo-
~, 1,7, lonians in Mansoul is like to be lucky,
Theu consult vjfiat , , . , .,, ,
f * , and to take ; to wit, that they will, by
answer to give to ,, . » ' ' mV
. ° all the means they can, make Man-
soul yet more vile ; no way to destroy a soul like this ; our old friend Balaam went this way, and prospered many years ago, Numb xxxi. 16. T ,> , . Revelations ii. 14. Let this there-
J l lore stand with us for a maxim, and
be to Diabolonians for a general rule in all ages ; for nothing can make this to fail but grace, in which I would hope that this town has no share. But whether to fall upon them on a market-day, because of their cumber in business, that I would should be under debate. And there is more reason why this head should be debated, than why some other should ; because upon this will turn the whole of what we shall attempt. If we time not our business well our whole project may fail. Our friends the Diabolonians say, that a market-day is best, for then will Mansoul be most busy, and have fewest thoughts of a surprize. But what if they shall double their guards on those days (and methinks nature and reason should teach them to do it ?) and what if they should keep such a watch on those days, as the necessity of their present case requires ? Yea, what if their men should be always in arms on those days ? Then you may, my lords, be dis- appointed in your attempts, and may bring our friends in the town to utter danger of unavoidable ruin *
Beelzebub. Then said the great Beelzebub, there is
* Learn wisdom from the devil. Nature and reason should teach men to be doubly on their guard when much engaged in the world — on market-days : " Men should be always in arms on those days." Would to God this hint were duly regarded in the country on mar- ket-days, and in London always, where every day in the week is market-day !
S 2
210
Beelzebub* *S sometiling m wJiat my l°ra but 'fie ech *"S conJecture may or may not ^al1 out- Nor
hath my lord laid it down as that which must not be receded from : for I know that he said it only to provoke a warm debate thereabout. Therefore we must understand, if we can, whether the town of Mansoul has such sense and knowledge of her decayed state, and of the designs that we have on foot against her, as to set ■watch and ward at her gates, and to double them on mar- ket-days. But if, after inquiry made, it shall be found that they are asleep, then any day will do, but a market- day is best ; and this is my judgment.
Diabolus. Then, quoth Diabolus, how should wre know this ? And it was answered, inquire about it at the mouth of Mr. Profane. So Profane was called in, and asked the question, and he made his answer as follows :
Profane. My lords, so far as I can gather, this is at
p f » d present the condition of the town of Man-
•a#- s.i~ soul ; tney are decayed in their faith and scrihtion of the , T J i u • -n • i
firesent state love : Immanuel their Prince, has given r. t T , them the back ; they send often by peti-
oj Mansoul. . . - , . , . '. . „. , , r
tion to fetch him again, but he makes no
haste to answer their request ; nor is there much refor- mation among them.
Diabolus. I am glad that they are backward to a re- formation, but yet I am afraid of their petitioning. How- ever, their looseness of life is a sign that there is not much heart in what they do, and without the heart things are little worth.* But, go on my masters, I will divert you, my lords, no longer.
Beelzebub. If the case be so with Mansoul, as Mr. Profane has described it to be, it will be no great matter what day we assault it ; not their prayers nor their pow- er will do them much service.
When Beelzebub had ended his oration, then Apollyon
n If l d DeSan- My °pini°n> sa*d ne> concerning Urcacjul a - ^.^ matter jSj that we go on fair and soft- vice agains j nQt dojng tnings in a hurry. Let our yianaouL friends in Mansoul go on still to pollute and defile, by seeking to draw it yet more into sin (for
* Good reasoning. Looseness of life is a proof that, whatever of religion men may profess, there is not much heart in it ; and if not, it is of little worth, and will do them little service.
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there is nothing like sin to devour Mansoul.) If this be done, and takes effect, Mansoul itself will leave off to watch, petition, or any thing else, that should tend to her security and safety ; for she will forget her Iranian- uel, she will not desire his company ; and can she be gotten thus to live, her Prince will not come to her in haste. Our trusty friend Mr. Carnal-security, with one of his tricks, drove him out of the town, and why not my lord Covetousness, and my lord Lasciviousness» by what they may do, keep him out of the town ?* And this I will tell you (not because you know it not, but) that two or three Diabolonians, if entertained and countenanced by the town of Mansoul, will do more to the keeping Immanuel from them, and towards making the town our own, than an army or a legion that should be sent out from us to withstand him.
Let, therefore, this first project that our friends in Atiollv • Mansoul have set on foot, be strongly and p. yon gives diligently carried on with all cunnine and his advice that P . J . , , , , . A, P
., , , , craft imaginable ; and let them send con- vey should ,, & , * . .
carry on the tinually under one Suise or other> more ar „ -,i ft and other of their men to play with the "and euil ° people of Mansoul ; and then perhaps we
shall not need to be at the charge of mak- ing a war upon them ; or if that must of necessity be done, yet the more sinful they are, the less able they will be to resist us, and then the more easily we shall overcome them. And besides, suppose (and that is the worst that can be supposed) that Immanuel should come to them again, why may not the same means (or the like) drive him from them once more ? Yea, why may he not, by their lapse into^ that sin again, be driven from them for ever, for the sake of which he was at the first driven from them for a season ? And if this should happen, then away will go with him his rams, his slings, his captains, his soldiers, and he leaveth Mansoul naked and bare. Yea, will not this town, when she sees herself utterly forsaken of her Prince, of her own accord open her gates again unto you ? But this must be done by time, a few days will not effect so great a work as this.f
* Very true, though said by the father of lies. Sin will do more to hurt the soul than a legion of devils. t Apostacy is often a gradual affair, a sure poison, but slow.
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When Apollyon had made an encl of speaking, Diab' olus began to blow out his own malice, and plead his own
Diabolus can Cause ; and he said; m>' ,orcls and pow"
brook no delay, *" °f ** ™y true .and !rusV
but is deiermin- fn * have w*th milch impauence,
. . as becomes me, given ear to your long
u , and tedious orations. But my furious
the town imme- , , , J , r
,. , gorge and empty paunch so lusteth al-
ter a re -possession of my famous town of Mansoul, that whatever comes on it, I can wait no lon- ger to see the events of lingering projects. I must, and that without further delay, seek by all means I can, to fill my un satiable gulf with the soul and body of the town of Man soul. Therefore lend me your heads, your hearts, and your helps, now I am going to recover my town of Mansoul.
When the lords and princes of the pit saw the flaming desire that was in Diabolus to devour the miserable town of Mansoul, they left off to raise any more objections, but consented to lend him what strength they could : though, had Apollyon's advice been taken, they had far more fearfully distressed the town of Mansoul. But I say, they were willing to lend him what strength they could, not knowing what need they might have of him, when they should engage for themselves, as he. Where- fore they fell to devising about the next thing propound- ed ; to wit, what soldiers they were, and also how many, with whom Diabolus should go against the town of Man- soul, to take it ; and, after some debate, it was conclud- ed, according as in the letter the Diabolonians had sug- gested, that none were more fu for that expedition, than an army of terrible doubters. They therefore concluded to send against Mansoul an army of sturdy doubters. The number thought fit to be employed in that service was between twenty and thirty thousand.* So then the result of that great council of those high and mighty
a s i i. lords was, that Diabolus should even
An army of doubt- \ , , , , • , _ r ..
. * ,J now out of hand beat up his drum tor
T'ainstthe °to°vn men in thc la,ld °f DoubtinS' which
f \r G i 0VJn *and ^ein uPon tne confines of the,
oj mansoiu. ^^ caUed Hell-gate-hill, for men
* When the enemy has so far prevailed by temptation, that sin has been entertained in the soul, as lasciviousness and covetousnesp,
213
that might be employed by him against the miserable
r town of Mansoul. It was also con-
The princes of the dudedj that these lords themselves
pit go with them. shQuld hdp him in the w?pj and that
they would, to that end, head and manage his men. So they drew up a letter, and sent it back to the Diabolo- nians that lurked in Mansoul, and that waited for the coming back of Mr. Profane, to signify to them into what method they had put their design. The contents where- of follow.
" From the dark and horrible dungeon of hell, Diabolus with all the society of the princes of darknsss^ sends to our trusty ones, in and about the walls of the town of Mansoul, now impatiently waiting for our most devilish answer to their venomous and most poisonous design against the town of Mansoul.
" Our native ones, in whom from day to day we boast, and in whose actions all the year long we greatly delight ourselves : we received your welcome, because highly esteemed letter, at the hand of our trusty and greatly be- loved, the old gentleman, Mr. Profane ; and do give you to understand, that when we had br&cen it up, and had read the contents thereof (to your amazing memory be it spoken) our yawning hollow-bellied place where we are, made so hideous and yelling a noise for joy, that the mountains that stand round about Hell-gate-hill had like to have been shaken to pieces at the sound thereof.
61 We could also do no less than admire your faithful- ness to us, with the greatness of that subtilty that now hath showed itself to be in your heads to serve us against the town of Mansoul. For you have invented for us so excellent a method for our proceeding against that rebel- lious people, that a more effectual cannot be thought of by all the wits of hell. The proposals therefore which now at last you have sent us, since we saw them, we have done little else but highly approved and admired them.
" Nay we shall to encourage you in the profundity of your craft, let you know, that at a full assembly and con- then is the time to pour into the soul a crowd of distressing doubts respecting our own salvation ; and this is the natural and usual consequence of sin indulged.
214
clave of our princes and principalities of this place, your' project was discoursed and tossed from one side of our cave to the other, by their mightinesses ; but a better, and, as was by themselves judged, a more fit and pro- per way, by all their wits could not be invented, to sur- prize, take, and make our own, the rebellious town of Mansoul.
" Wherefore, in fine, all that was said that varied from what you had in your letter propounded, fell of itself to the ground, and your's only was stuck to by Diabolus the prince ; yea, his gaping- gorge and yawning paunch was on fire to put your invention into execution.
*' We therefore give you to understand, that our stout,
. M furious, and unmerciful Diabolus is
An army of more • • c ,. t , , • r
, , raising lor your relict, and the rum of
than twenty thou- rebellious town of Mansoul, more
i>ana doubters to u; 0 , ,, , , ,
j., J than twenty thousand aoubtcrs to come
agains a ansou . agamst tjiat pe0pie. They are all
stout and sturdy men, and men t-hat of old have been ac- customed to war. I say, he is doing this work of his with all the speed he can, for with his heart and spirit he is engaged in it. We desire, therefore, that as you have hitherto stuck^o us, and given us both advice and encouragement, you still will prosecute our design, nor shall you lose, but be gainers thereby ; yea, we intend to make you the lords of Mansoul.
" One thing may not by any means be omitted, that is, those with us desire, that every one of you that are in Mansoul would still use all your power, cunning and skill, with delusive persuasions, yet to draw the town of Mansoul into more sin and wickedness, even that sin may be finished, and bring forth death.
M For thus it is concluded with us, that the more vile, sinful, and debauched the town of Mansoul is, the more backward will their lmmanuel be to come to their help, either by presence, or other relief, yea, the more sinful, the more weak, and so the more unable will they be to make resistance, when we shall make our assault upon them to swallow them up. Yea. they may cause that their mighty Shaddai himself may cast them out of his protection ; yea, and send for his captains and soldiers home, with his slings and rams, and leave them naked and bare, and then the town of Mansoul will of itself open
215
to us, and fall as a fig into the mouth of the eater. Yea, to be sure that we then with a great deal of ease shall come upon her, and overcome her.
" As to the time of our coming* upon Mansoul, we as
„ , , . yet have not fully resolved upon that, thos
Mansoul is to* . Jc . . , r '
, . , at present some ot us think, as you, that a
be assaulted, market.day> or a market-day at night, will both within cenainly be the best>* However, do you ana without. be readV) and when you shaH hear Qur
roaring drum without, do you be as busy to make the most horrible confusion within, 1 Pet. v. 8 ; so shall Mansoul certainly be distressed before and behind, and shall not know which way to betake herself for help. My lord Lucifer, my lord Beelzebub, my lord Apollyon, my lord Legion, with the rest, salute you, as does also, my lord Diabolus ; and we wish both you, with all that you do or shall possess, the very self-same fruit and suc- cess for your doing, as wc ourselves at present enjoy for ours.
" From our dreadful confines in the most fearful pit', we salute you, and so do those many legions here with us, wishing you may be as hellishly prosperous as we desire to be ourselves. By the letter carrier, Mr.Profane."
Then Mr. Profane addressed himself for his return to Mansoul, with his errand from the horrible pit to the Diabolonians that dwelt in that town. So lie came up the stairs from the deep to the mouth of the cave where Cer- berus was. Now when Cerberus saw him, he asked how matters went below, about, and against the town of Man- soul.
Profane. Things go as well as we can expect. The
r
Coversalion be- , , ,, ... , , „ i i
, approved, and well liked by all my lords,
s zr // , " and I am returning to tell our Diabolo- er of Hell-cat e. . T , b . ,
„ / . , ° mans so. I have an answer to it here
ana the bearer , , T .„ ,
-.. . in my bosom, that I am sure will make
of the letter* . * . . , r .,
* our masters that sent me, glad ; lor the
* A market-day, at night. At that season how many tradesmen are full of the world ; and too many, who visit markets from the country, " overcharged with surfeiting, drunkenness, and the cares of this life!" " Be sober, be vigilant." 1 Pet. v. 8.
216
contents thereof are to encourage them to pursue their design to the utmost, and to be ready also to fall on with- in, when they shall see my lord Diabolus beleaguering of the town of Mansoul.
Cerberus. But does he intend to go against them him- self?
Profane. Does he ? Ay, and he will take along with him more than twenty thousand all sturdy doubters, and men of war, picked men from the land of Doubting, to serve him in the expedition.
Cerberus. Then was Cerberus glad, and said, and are there such brave preparations a making to go against the miserable town of Mansoul ? And would I might be put at the head of a thousand of them, that I might also shew my valor against the famous town of Mansoul.
Profane. Your wish may come to pass, you look like one that has mettle enough, and my lord will have with him those that are valiant and stout. But my business requires haste.
Cerberus, Ay, so it does. Speed thee to the town of Mansoul, with all the deepest mischiefs that this place can afford thee. And when thou shalt come to the house of Mr. Mischief, the place where the Diabolonians meet to plot, tell them that Cerberus doth wish them his service, and that if he may, he will with the army come up against the famous town of Mansoul.
Profane. That I will. And I know that my lords that are there will be glad to hear it, and to see you also. So after a few more such kind of compliments, Mr.
_, Profane took leave of his friend Cerbe-
lhe messenger, rug . and Cerberus agaifij whh a thou.
Mr. frojane, ^^ of their . wish bid him haste
proceeds on his ^ ^ ^ tQ Ms masters. The
which when he had heard he made obei- sance, and began to gather up his heels to run.
Thus therefore he returned, and came to Mansoul, and going as afore to the house of Mr. Mischief, there he found the Diabolonians assembled, and waiting for his return. Now when he was come, and had presented himself, he delivered his letter and adjoined his compli- ment to them therewith : My lords, from the confines of the pit, the high and mighty principalities and powers of the den, salute you here, the true Diabolonians of the
217
town of Mansoul : wishing you always the most proper of their benediction, for the great service, high attempts, and brave achievements, that you have put yourselves upon, for the restoring to our prince Diabolus, the fa- mous town of Mansoul.
This was therefore the present state of the miserable town of Mansoul. She had offended her Prince, and he was gone ; she had encouraged the powers of hell, by her foolishness, to come against her to seek her utter destruction.
True, the town of Mansoul was somewhat made sen-
„, . sible of her sin, but the Diabolonians were
a C x- »/ srotten into her bowels ; she cried, but
toivn of Man- ? , j u • j-j
, /... . Immanuel was gone, and her cries did
aoulatthiscn- nQt fctch him as yet again# BesideS)
tical juncture, ghe knew not wnether ever or never he would return, and come to his Mansoul again ; nor did they know the power and industry of the enemy, nor how forward they were to put in execution that plot of hell that they had devised against her.
They did indeed still send petition after petition to the Prince, but he answered all with silence. They did neglect reformation, and that was as Diabolus would have it ; for he knew, if they regarded iniquity in their heart, their King would not regard their prayer ; they there- fore still grew weaker and weaker, and were as a roll- ing thing before the whirlwind. They cried to their King for help, and laid Diabolonians in their bosoms ; what therefore should a king do to them ? Yea, there seemed now to be a mixture in Mansoul, the Diabolonians and Mansoulians would walk the streets together. Yea, they began to seek their peace, for they thought, that since the sickness had been so mortal in Mansoul, it was in vain to go to handy-gripes with them. Besides, the weakness of Mansoul was the strength of their enemies ; and the sins of Mansoul the advantage of the Diabolonians. The foes of Mansoul also now began to promise themselves the town for a possession; there was no great difference now betwixt the Mansoulians and Diabolonians ; both seemed to be masters of Mansoul. Yea, the Diabolo- nians increased and grew, but the town of Mansoul di- minished greatly. There was more than eleven thou-
T
218
sand men, women, and children, that died by the sick- ness of Mansoul.*
CHAP. XIV.
The Plot discovered by Mr. Prywe 11— Preparations made for Defence — More Diabolonians executed — The Army of Doubters described ; they approach the Town ; and
make an Assault upon Ear-gate, but are repelled The
Drummer beats a Parley, but is disregarded— Diabolus attempts to deceive by his Flatteries, but in vain— Jolly and Griggish, two young Diabolonians, executed- Gripe and Rake-all hanged — Any-thing and Loose-foot imprisoned,
BUT now, as Shaddai would have it, there was one whose name was Mr. Pry well, a great lover of the people of Mansoul. And he, as his manner was, went listening up and down in Mansoul, to see and hear if at The storv of any t,me he mignt>wnether there was any Mr Pryivell. desi§n against it, or no. For he was al- ways a jealous man, and feared some mis- chief sometime would befal it, either from the Diabolo- nians within, or from some power without. Now upon
* When there is grace in the soul there can scarce be a total in- sensibility. They had petitioned again and again ; but they re- garded iniquity in the heart, therefore their prayers were not heard. O what a change had taken place. Time was, when Immanuel first came to dwell in Mansoul, that all was joy, and peace, and love ; but sin was indulged, and Jesus departed. Religion was now at so low an ebb, that they mixed freely with the world, and " there wag no great difference between the Mansoulians and the Diabolonians— between professors and profane." This is an awful case ; a case, alas ! too common.
Reader, pause and examine thyself. Is this thy state ? If it be not, bless the Lord who hath kept thee from falling. If it be, Q cry to him for pardon and grace, for dreadful danger is at hand.
Sin is, indeed, the sickness of the soul. Many thousands are said to have died by it. This is not intended as if any of the Lord's truly gracious and elect people had finally perished ; (which would be contrary to the truth ;) but that very great and dreadful loss had been sustained by this awful backsliding from him, the dreadful consequences of which appear in the next chapter.
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a time it so happened, as Mr. Prywell went listening here and there, that he lighted upon a place called Vile- hill in Mansoul, where Diabolonians used to meet ; so The Diabolo- *iCarinS a ""Bering (you must know that
■ -hi r u was m tne night) he softly drew near mans plot ciis- tQ hear . nQr had he stood Jong under th(j
covered, ana ^^ ^ ^ there gtood a house ther(^ by vj/iom. but he heard Qne confidemly affirm> that
it was not, or would not be long, before Diabolus should possess himself again of Mansoul, and that then the Di- abolonians did intend to put all Mansoulians to the sword, and would kill and destroy the King's captains, and drive all his soldiers out of the town.*
He said, moreover, That he knew there were above twenty thousand fighting men prepared by Diabolus for the accomplishing of this design, and that it would no.t be many months before they all should see it. When
Understanding Mr* PrTwe11 had heard this st0I7' he
. r s quickly believed it was true ; wherefore
ana conscience. he went fonhwith t0 my Lord-mayor's
house, and acquainted him therewith, who sending for the subordinate preacher, brake the business to him, and he as soon gave the alarm to.the town ; for he was now the chief preacher in Mansoul, because as yet my Lord Secretary was ill at ease-t And this was the way that the subordinate preacher took to alarm the «,, , town therewith. The same hour he caused
b 11 arm' l^e lecture_kell to De rung> ana* the people uns- came togetlier ; he then gave them a short exhortation to watchfulness, and made Mr. Prywell's news the argument thereof. For, said he, an horrible plot is contrived against Mansoul, even to massacre us all in a day ; nor is this story to be slighted, for Mr. Prywell is the author thereof. Mr. Prywell was always a lover of Mansoul, a sober and judicious man, a man that is no tattler, nor raiser of false reports, but one that loves to look into the very bottom of matters, and talks nothing of news but by very solid argument.
* Holy jealousy and careful examination will detect the plans and devices of satan. We cannot watch and pry too narrowly when we consider the deceitfulness of sin and of the heart.
f The Holy Spirit was grieved, and suspended his usual influ- ences. Gospel ministers are watchmen, and must sound the alarm in the time of danger,
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I will call him, and you shall hear him your own selves ; So he called him, and he came and told his tale so punc- tually, and affirmed its truth with such ample grounds, that Mansoul fell presently under a conviction of the truth of what he said. The preacher also backed him, saying, Sirs, it is not irrational for us to believe it, for we have provoked Shaddai to anger, and have sinned Im- manuel out of the town ; we have had too much corres- pondence with Diabolonians, and have forgotten our ten- der mercies ; no marvel, then, if the enemy both within and without should design and plot our ruin ; and what Time like this to do it ? The sickness is now in the town, and we have been made weak thereby. Many a good- meaning man is dead, and the Diabolonians of late grown stronger and stronger.
Besides, quoth the subordinate preacher, what I have received from this good truth-teller is one inkling fur- T , ther, that he understood by those that he
ey lake overneard} tnat several letters have lately t e a arm. passed between the furies of the pit and the Diabolonians, in order to our destruction. When Man- soul heard all this, and not being able to gainsay it, they lift up their voice and wept. Mr. Pry well also, in the presence of the townsmen, confirmed all that their sub- ordinate preacher had said. Wherefore they now set afresh to bewail their folly, and to a doubling of petitions „ to Shaddai, and his Son. They also brake
J hey tell these the bubiness t0 the captains, high com- things to the mandergj and lnen of war in tne town 0f sa/itains. Mansoul, intreating of them to use the
means to be strong, and to take good courage, and that they would look after their harness and make themselves ready to give Diabolus battle by night or by day, should he come, as they are informed he will, to beleaguer the cown of Mansoul.
When the captains heard this, they being always true lovers of the town of Mansoul, what do they, but like so many Sampsons, they shake themselves, and come togeth- er to consult and contrive how to defeat those bold and hel- lish contrivances that were upon the wheel, by the means of Diabolus and his friends, against the now sickly, weak- ly, and much impoverished town of Mansoul ; and they agreed upon these following particulars :
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1. That the gates of Mansoul should be kept shut, . and made fast with bars and locks, and that
/ heir agree- ^ persons tjiat wentout or came in should ment' be very strictly examined by the captains of
the guards, 1 Cor. xvi. 13, to the end, said they, that those that are managers of the plot amongst us may, ei- ther coming or going, be taken ; and that we may also find out who are the great contrivers (amongst us) of our ruin, Lam. iii. 40.
2. The next thing was, that a strict search should be made lor all kind of Diabolonians, throughout the whole town of Mansoul ; and that every man's house from top to bottom, should be looked into, and that too house by house, that if possible a farther discovery might be made of all such among them as had a hand in these designs, Heb. xii. 15, 16.
3. It was further concluded upon, that wheresoever or with whomsoever any of the Diabolonians were found, that even those of the town of Mansoul, that had given them house and harbor, should, to their shame, and the warning of others, do penance in the open place, Jer. ii. 34. chap. v.26. Ezek. xvi. 52.
4. It was moreover resolved by the famous town of A 1 bl ft Man30U'> tnat a public fast, and a day of
{, , J „ humiliation, should be kept throughout and day of so- . , , ' . . • r • r
lemn humllia. *«.»£>!« corporation, to toe justifying of their Prince, the abasing ot themselves before him fortheir transgressions against him, and against Shaddai his Father, Joel i. 14. chap. ii. 15, 16. It was further resolved, that all such in Man- soul as did not on that day endeavor to keep that fast, and to humble themselves for their faults, but should mind their worldly, employments, or be found wandering up or down the streets, should be taken for Diabolonians, and suffer as Diabolonians for such wicked doings.
5. It was further concluded then, that with what speed, and with what warmth of mind they could, they would renew their humiliation for sin, and their petitions to Shaddai for help ; they also resolved to send tidings to the court, of all that Mr. Prywell had told them, Jer, xxxvii. 4.
6. It was also determined, that thanks should be given by the town of Mansoul to Mr. Prywell, for his diligent
T2
222
seeking of the welfare of their town ; and rSnther, that forasmuch as he was so naturally inclined to seek their good, and also to undermine their foes, they gave him a commission of Scoutmaster-general, for the good of the town of Mansoul.*
When the corporation, with their captains, had thus concluded, they did as they had said, they shut up their gates, they made for Diabolonians strict search, they made those with whom any were found, to do penance in the open place. They kept their fast, and renewed their petitions to their Prince, and Mr. Pry well managed his charge, and the trust that Mansoul had put into his hands, with great conscience and good fidelity ; for he gave himself wholly up to his employ, and that not only within the town, but he went out to pry, to see, and to hear.
Not many days after, he provided for his journey, and 1/ P - II went towards Hell-gate-hill, into the
^4 country where doubters were, where he
goes a scouting. heard of a]l that had been talk€d of Jn
Mansoul, and he perceived also that Diaboius was al- most ready for his march, Sec. So he came back with speed, and calling the captains and elders of Mansoul together, he told them where he had been, what he had heard, and what he had seen. Particularly he told them, jr . , that Diaboius was almost ready for his
/, 7. march, and that he had made old Mr.
great rtcw*. Incredulity, that once brake prison in
Mansoul, the general of his army ; that his army con- sisted of all doubters, and that their number was above twenty thousand. He told moreover, that Diaboius in- tended to bring with him the chief princes of the infer- nal pit, and that he would make them chief captains over his doubters. He told them moreover, that it was cer- tainly true, that several of the black den would with Di- aboius ride reformades, to reduce the town of Mansoul to the obedience of Diaboius their prince.
He said moreover, that he understood by the doubt- ers, among whom he had been, that the reason why old
* All these were wise regulations. They shew that we should be earnest in supplication, very diligent in self-examination, deeply humbled for sin, and zealous in detecting our corruptions.
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Incredulity 'was made general of the whole army, was, because none truer than he to the tyrant; and because he had an implacable spite against the town of Mansoul. Besides, said he, he remembers the affront that Mansoul has given him, and he is resolved to be revenged of them.*
Bnt the black princes shall be made high command- ers ; only Incredulity shall be over them all, because he can more easily and dexterously beleaguer the town of Mansoul, than any of the princes besides, Heb. xii. 1.
Now when the captains of Mansoul, with the elders of the town, had heard the tidings that Mr Prywell brought, _ fr they thought it expedient, without
inelawsoj im- further deiay to put jmo execution manuel against gainst the Diabolonians,
the Diabolomans , • i i • f> • u> j j •
which their Prince haci made, and e-iv- fiut into execution. , , . °
■ en them in commandment to manage
against them. Wherefore, forthwith a diligent and im- partial search was made in all houses in Mansoul, for all and all manner of Diabolonians. Now in the house of Mr. Mind, and in the house of the great Lord Will-be-will, were two Diabolonians found. In Mr. Mind's house was one Lord Covetousness found ; but he had changed his nametoPrudeni-thrifty. In rnyLord Will-be- will's house, one Lascivicusness was found ; but he had changed his name to Harmless-mirth. These two the captains and elders of the town of Mansoul took and committed to custody, under the hand of Mr. Trueman, the gaoler ; and this man handled them so severely, and loaded them so weil with irons, that they both fell into a very deep consumption, and died in the prison ; their masters also, according to the agreement of the captains and elders, were brought to do penance in the open place, to their shame, and a warning to the rest of the town of Man- soul. t
* The design of satan was to overwhelm the soul with doubts and fears, in consequence of sin indulged; incredulity, therefore, or unbelief, is, with great propriety, appointed general of the army, for the doubts and fears of serious persons usually arise from un- belief.
f In the time of danger we are more engaged in the mortification of our sinful iusts ; and it is well when the deceitfulness of sin is detected, its ialse names and pretences discovered, and wlieacov*- etousness and lasciviousness consume away and die.
Now this was the manner of penance in those days. The persons offending, being made sensible of the evil of their doings, were enjoined open confession of their faults, and a strict amendment of their lives.*
After this the captains and elders of Man soul sought yet to find out more Diabolonians, wherever they lurk- ed, whether in dens, caves, holes, vaults, or where else they could, in or about the wall or town of Mansoul. But though they could plainly see their footing, and so follow them by their track and smell to their holds, even to the mouths of their caves and dens, yet take and do justice upon them they could not, their ways were so crooked, their holds so strong, and they so quick to take sanctuary there.
But Mansoul ruled now with so stiff an hand over the
-,, n- i / Diabolonians that were left, that they
The Diabolonians , , , • , • • '
... .. , were glad to shrink into corners: time
hide themselves in °. , ; ., , ,
. . . was, when they durst walk openly and
their dens. . ""7 _j u .u v a in the day, but now they were forced
to embrace privacy and the night ; time was, when a
Mansoulian was their companion, but now they counted
them deadly enemies. This change did Mr. Pry well's
intelligence make in the town of Mansoul. t
By this time Diabolus had finished his army which he intended to bring with him for the ruin of Mansoul , and had set over them captains and other field officers, such as liked his furious stomach best : himself was lord par- amount. Incredulity was general of his army. The^r highest captains shall be named afterwards j but now for their officers, colours, and scutcheons.
1. Their first captain was Captain Rage, he was cap- tain over the Election-doubters, his were the red colours; his standard-bearer was Mr. Destructive, and the great red dragon he had for his scutcheon, Rev. xii. 3, 4, IS, 15, 17.
* This godly discipline is almost unknown in our days ; yet is it consonant with the word of God, and it practised, would promote the holiness of the church, and its credit in the eyes of the world.
f When grace reigns in the heart, sin cannot shew itself as it once did; bur yet -in -dwelling- sin, the law in the members, is so subtle, that it will hide itself in secret places, difficult to be discovered, and far more difficult to be destroyed. There it is, and the believer is constrained to say—" O wretched man that I am, who shall de- liver me, &c"
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2. The second captain was Captain Fury, he was cap- tain over the Vocation-doubters, his standard-bearer was Mr. Darkness, his colours were those that were pale, and he had for his scutcheon the fiery flying serpent, Num. xx. 6.
3. The third captain was Captain Damnation, he was captain over the Grace-doubters, his were the red co- lours; Mr. No-life bare them, and he had for his scutch- eon the black den, Mat. iii. 22, 23. Rev. ix. 1.
4. The fourth captain was Captain Insatiable, he was captain over the Faith-doubters,* his were the red co- lours ; Mr. Devourer bare them, and he had for his scutcheon the yawning-jaws, Prov. xxvii. 20.
5. The fifth captain was Captain Brimstone, he was captain over the Perseverance-doubters, his also were the red colours; Mr. Burning bare them, and his scutch- eon was the blue and stinking flame, Psal. xi. 6. Rev. xiv. 11.
6. The sixth captain was Captain Torment, he was captain over the Resurrection-doubters, his colours were those that were pale, Mr. Gnaw was his standard-bearer, and he had the black worm for his scutcheon, Mark ix. 44, 46, 48.
7. The seventh captain was Captain No-ease, he was captain over the Salvation-doubters, his were the red colours, Mr. Restless bare them, and his scutcheon was the ghastly picture of death, Rev. iv. 11. chap. vi. 8.
8. The eighth captain was Captain Sepulchre, he was captain over the Glory-doubters, his also were the pale colours, Mr. Corruption was his standard-bearer, and lie had for his scutcheon a scull, and dead men's bones, Jer. v. 16. ch. ii. 25.
9. The ninth captain was Captain Past-hope, he was captain of those that are called the Felicity-doubters, his standard-bearer was Mr. Despair ; his also were the red colours, and his scutcheon was the hot iron and hard heart, Tim. ii. 4. Rom ii 5.
These were his captains, and these were their forces,
♦The doubts of God's people are, frequently, concerting their election, their callinq, their being partakers of saving gi\;ce, their final perseverance, their -esurrec ion, salvaion, and glory. To nourish and increase these doubts is the aim of hell, as represented in this formidable armament.
226
these were the standards, these were their colours, and these were their scutcheons. Now over these did the The seven chief great Diabolus make superior captains, „.. . rf-rv/ ant* tney vvere in number seven: as » . , * nameiy, tne Lord Beelzebuo, the Lord
Lucifer, the Lord Legion, the Lord Apol- lyon, the Lord Python, the Lord Cerberus, and the Lord Belial ; these seven he set over the captains, and Incre- dulity was lord general, and Diabolus was king.
The reformades also, such as were like themselves, were made some of them captains of hundreds, and some of them captains of more. And thus was the army of Incredulity completed.
So they set out at Hell-gate-hill (for there they had their rendezvous) from whence they came with a strait course upon their march towards the town of Mansoul. Now, as was hinted before, the town had, as Shaddai would have it, received from the mouth of Mr. Prywell the alarm of their coming before. Wherefore they set a strong watch at the gates, and had also doubled their guards ; they also mounted their slings in good places, where they might conveniently cast out their great stones to the annoyance of the enemy.
Nor could those Diabolonians that were in the town do that hurt as was designed they should ; for Mansoul was now awake. But alas, poor people, they were sore- ly affrighted $t first appearance of their foes, and at their sitting down before the town, especially when they heard the roaring of their drum, 1 Pet. v. 8. This, to speak truth, was amazingly hideous to hear, it frightened all men seven miles round.* The streaming of their co- lours was also terrible and dejecting to behold.
When Diabolus was come up against the town, first rr t he made his approach to Ear-gate ; and
e ma^es an hg e ^ & fur;ous assaujtj supposing, as assault ufion ^ ^^ that his fricndg fa Mansoul had
T// d been reac3y to do the work within ; but
78 re*ie e ' care was taken of that before, by the vigi- lance of the captains. Wherefore missing of the help that he expected from them, and finding his army wafm-
* 1 Pet. v. 8. " Be sober, be vigilant : because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
227
ly attacked with the stones from the slingers (for that I will say for the captains, that considering the weakness that yet was upon them by reason of the long sickness that had annoyed the town of Mansoul, they behaved „. , themselves gallantly) he was forced to
lie retreats ana make some retreat from Mansoul, and intrenches him- intrench himself and his men in the field, *e J ' without the reach of the slings of the
town, James iv. 7.
Now having intrenched himself, he cast up four mounts against the town ; the first he called Mount Di- abolus, putting his own name thereon, the more to af- fright the town of Mansoul : the other three he called thus, Mount Alecto, Mount Megara, and Mount Tisi- phone, for these are the names of the dreadful furies of hell. Thus he began to play his game with Mansoul, and to serve it as the lion his prey, even to make it fall before his terror. But, as I said, the captains and sol- diers, resisted so stoutly, and did so much execution, that they made him, though against stomach, to retreat; wherefore Mansoul began to take courage.
Now upon Mount Diabolus, which was raised on the T)- l 1 , north side of the town, there did the tyrant d d * set UP k*s standard, and a fearful thing it , was to behold, for he had wrought in it by
"' devilish art after the manner of his scutch- eon, a flaming fire, fearful to behold, and the picture of Mansoul burning in it.
When Diabolus had thus done, he commanded that his drummer should every night approach the walls of the town of Mansoul, and beat a parley ; the command was to do it at night, as in the day-time they annoyed him with their slings ; for the tyrant said, that he had a mind to parley with the now trembling town of Mansoul, and he commanded that the drum should beat every night, that through weariness they might at last, if pos- sible, (at the first they were unwilling, yet) be forced to do it.
So the drummer did as commanded ; he arose, and did beat his drum. But when his drum did go, if one looked towards the town of Mansoul, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light was darkened in the heaven thereof, Isa. v. 30. No noise was ever heard upon earth
228
more terrible, except the voice of Shaddai when he speak- eth. But how did Mansoul tremble ! it now looked for nothing but forthwith to be swallowed up.*
When this drummer had beaten a parley, he made
The drummer 'his ,SP,eech * Mans°ul %" My ■«■» makes a speech baS bld *?c \f *>* *" «f you ™" W«j A,/ or/frr o/*Z>f- lm£Iy submit> >T°U shaU have the good
b [us °f thC eanh ; bUt if y°U ShaU be *tub"
born, he is 1 esolvedto takeyou by force."
But by that the fugitive had done beating his drum, the people of Mansoul had betaken themselves to the cap- tains that were in the castle, so that there was none to regard, nor to give this drummer an answer ; so he pro- ceeded no further that night, but returned again to his master to the camp.
When Diabolus saw that, by drumming, he could not work out Mansoul to his will, the nsxt night he sendeth his drummer without his drum, still to let the townsmen know that he had a mind to parley with them. But when all came to all, his parley was turned into a summons to the town, to deliver up themselves : but they gave him neither heed nor hearing, for they remembered what at first it cost them to hear him a few words.f
The next night he sends again, and then who should be his messenger to Mansoul, but the terrible Cap- tain Sepulchre ; so Captain Sepulchre came up to the walls of Mansoul, and made this oration to the town :
" O ye inhabitants of the rebellious town of Mansoul 1 I summon you in the name of the prince Diabolus, that without any more ado you set open the gates of your town, and admit your lord to come in. But if you shall still rebel, when we have taken the town by force, we will swallow you up as the grave ; wherefore if you will hearken to my summons, say so ; and if not, then let me know.
" The reason of this my summons,'* quoth he, " is, for
* The miseries of the damned may sometimes greatly terrify a true Christian, who, being delivered by Jesus from the wrath to come, has no reason to fear them.
f We must not parley with the tempter, or hold any correspon- dence with him. A few words with him ruined us all in our first parents.
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that my lord is your undoubted prince and lord, as ybu yourselves have formerly owned. Nor shall that assault that was given to my lord, when Immanuel dealt so dis- honorably by him, prevail with him to lose his right, and to forbear to attempt to recover his own. Consider then, O Mansoul, with thyself, wilt thou shew thyself peaceably, or not? If thou wilt quiety yield up thyself, then our old friendship shall be renewed; but if thou wilt yet refuse and rebel, then expect nothing but fire and sword.*
When the languishing town of Mansoul had heard this summoner, and his summons,' they were yet more put to their dumps, but made the captain no answer at all ; so away he went as he came.
After some consultation among themselves, as also Th 7vr v/ith some of their captains, they applied
1 he Mansoul- themselves afresh to the lord secretary ions afifily Jor for counsel and advice from him . for th}3 a vice to t err jortj secl.etarv was their chief preacher lord secretary. (ag mentioned before) only now he was ill at ease ; and of him they begged favor in these two or three things.
1. That he would look comfortably upon them, and not keep himself so much retired from them as former- ly. Also, that he would be prevailed with to give them a hearing while they should make known their miserable condition to him. But to this he told them as before, that as yet he was but ill at ease, and therefore could not do as he had formerly done.
2. The second thing they desired, was, that he would be pleased to give them his advice about their now so important affairs, for that Diabolus was come and set be- fore the town with no less than twenty thousand doubt- ers. They said moreover, that both he and his captains were cruel men, and that they were afraid of them. But to this he said, you must look to the law of the Prince, and there see what is laid upon you to do.f
* The fear of death sometimes seizes the mind of a child of God ; but Jesus came to deliver us from that cruel bondage. This Cap- tain Sepulchre often pays a visit to the doubting soul. But Chris- tians should remember, that Jesus has disarmed death of his sting, and that death itself shall be rendered gain.
t It was wisely done to seek the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
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3. Then they desired that his highness would help them to frame a petition to Shaddai, and unto Immanuei his Son, and that he would set his own hand thereto, as a token that he was one with them in it : for said they, my lord, many a one have we sent, but can get no an- swer of peace, but now surely one with thy hand unto it, may obtain good for Mansoul.
But all the answer he gave to this, wa9, that they had offended Immanuei, and had also grieved himself, and that therefore they must as yet partake of their own de- vices.
This answer of the lord secretary fell like a mill-stone
upon them ; yea, it crushed them so, that they could
not tell what to do, yet they durst not comply with the
Ti* r. a ** -. demands of Diabolus, nor with the de- 7 he sad straits , r i_- • T • « o
r ,it„,, ., / mands of his captain, Lam. i. 3. So
of JSlansoul. , , -1 • , ,
J then here were the straits that the town
of Mansoul was in when the enemy came upon her : her foes were ready to swallow her up, and her friends for- bore to help her.
Then stood up my lord mayor, whose name was my Lord Understanding, and he began to pick and pick, until he had picked comfort out of that seemingly bitter saying of the lord secretary ; for thus he descanted up- on it : First, said he, this unavoidably follows upon the saying of my lord, that we must yet suffer for our sins. 2. But, quoth he, the word " yet" sounds as if at last we should be saved from our enemies, and that, after a few more sorrows, Immanuei will come and be our help. Now the lord mayor was the more critical in his dealing with the secretary's words, because my lord was more than a prophet, and because none of his words were such, but that at all times they were most exactly significant, and the townsmen were allowed to pry into them, and to expound them to their best advantage.*
So they took their leaves of my lord, and returned to the captains, to whom they told what my lord secretary- had said, who, when they had heard it, were all of the
He refers them to the written word, for there is sufficient direc- tion in every case. While we earnestly desire the help of the good spirit we must not neglect the directions of the word.
* To search the scriptures carefully is our duty, and it is a great privilege to possess an enlightened understanding for that purpose.
5231
same opinion as was my lord-mayor himself; the cap- tains therefore began to take courage, and prepared to make some brave attempt upon the camp of the enemy, and to destroy all that were Diabolonians, with the rov- ing doubters that the tyrant had brought with him to ruin the poor town of Mansoul.
So all betook themselves forthwith to their places, the
77 -m f caPtams t0 theirs, the lord mayor to his,
■)um oj the subordinate preacher to his, and my
Mansoul in lord win.be.wili to his# The captains
7/7 flYfiPy*
longed to be at some work for their Prince, for they delighted in warlike achievements. The next day, therefore, they came together and consulted ; and after consultation had, they resolved to give an answer to the captain of Diabolus with slings ; and so they did at the rising of the sun on the morrow ; for Diabolus had adventured to come nearer again, but the sling-stones were to him and his like hornets. For as there is noth- ing to the town of Mansoul so terrible as the roaring of Diabolus' drum, so there is nothing to Diabolus so ter- rible as the well playing of Immanuel's slings. Where- fore Diabolus was forced to make another retreat, yet further off from the famous town of Mansoul. Then did the lord mayor of Mansoul cause the bells to be rung, and that thanks should be sent to the lord high secretary, by the mouth of the subordinate preacher ; for that by his words the captains and elders of Mansoul had been strengthened against Diabolus.*
When Diabolus saw that his captains and soldiers, high lords, and renowned, were frightened and beaten down by the stones that came from the golden slings of the Prince of the town of Mansoul, he bethought him- self, and said, I will try to catch them by fawning, I will try to flatter them into my net.
Wherefore, after a while, he came down again to the
Diabolus cl an?- wan> not now ^v*th Iv's drum, nor w*th m /, 1 Captain Sepulchre, but having all so be-
es nis ivau. l , , .r.. ' . o ,
7 sugareo his lips, he seemed to be a very
sweet-mouthed, peaceable prince, designing nothing for
* Resist the devil and he will flee from you. A little encou- ragement from the Holy Spirit excites fresh courage in the soul to oppose satan ; and no doubt, the holy resistance of the christian is as formidable to him as his assaults are to the tempted.
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honor sake, nor to be revenged on Mansoul for injuries by them done to him ; but the welfare, and good, and advantage of the town and people therein, was now, • - he said, his only design. Wherefore, after he had call- ed for audience, and desired that the townsfolk would give it to him, he proceeded in his oration ; and said,*
** Oh ! the desire of my heart, the famous town of Mansoul, how many nights have I watched, and how many weary steps have I taken, if perhaps I might do thee good ! 1 Pet. v. 8. Rev. xii. 10. Far be it, far be it from me to desire to make war upon you ; if ye will but willingly and quickly deliver up yourselves unto mc. You know that you were mine of old, Matt. iv. 8. Luke iv. 6, 7. Remember also, that so long as you enjoyed me for your lord, and that I enjoyed you for my subjects, you wanted for nothing of all the delights of the earth, that I, your lord and prince, could get for you ; or that I could invent to make you bonny and blithe withal. Consider, you never had so many hard, dark, trouble- some, and heart-afflicting hours, while you were mine, as you have had since you revolted from me, nor shall you ever have peace again until you and I become one as
r>. * before. Be but prevailed with to em-
Dmbous exerts brace me again> and j ^ grantj yQ^
himself to bring cnlarge your old charter with abundance the townsjotk of priviiegeSj so that your licence and over to him. liberty shall be to take, hold, enjoy and make your own, all that is pleasant from east to west:. Nor shall any of those incivilities, wherewith you have offended me, be ever charged upon you by me, so long as the sun and moon endure. Nor shall any of those dear friends of mine, that now, for the fear of you, lie lurk- ing in dens and holes and caves in Mansoul, be hurtful to you any more ; yea, they shall be your servants, and shall minister unto you of their substance, and of what- ever shall come to hand. I need speak no more, you know them, and have some time since been much de- lighted in their company ; why then should we abide at
* Satan has various modes of attack. If he succeed not as the roaring lion, he will assume the crafty serpent ; if he prevail not by fear, he will resort to flattery ; in the latter way Us obtained his purpose with our first jnother.
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such odds ? Let us renew our old acquaintance and friendship again.
" Bear with your friend, I take the liberty at this time to speak thus freely unto you. The love that I have to you presses me to do it, as also does the zeal of my heart for my friends with you ; put me not therefore to further trouble, nor yourselves to further frights. Have you I will, in a way of peace or war, nor do you flatter your- selves with the power and force of your captains, or that your Immanuel Avill shortly come in to your help j for such strength will do you no pleasure.
"I am come against you with a stout and valiant army, and all the chief princes of the den are even at the head. Besides, my captains are swifter than eagles, stronger than lions, and more greedy of prey than are the evening wolves. What is Og or Basham 1 what is Goliah of Gath ? and what are an hundred more of them to one of the least of my captains ! how then shall Mansoul think to escape my hand and force ?"*
Diabolus having thus ended his flattering, fawning, deceitful, and lying speech to the famous town of Man- soul ; the lord mayor replied unto him as follows:
" O Diabolus, prince of darkness, and master of all de-
y,, . , _ ceit ; thy lying flatteries we have had,
, e ' ^" and made sufficient probation of, and have
or s answer, t , , . f. . , a ' .
tasted too deeply oi that destructive cup
already ; should we therefore again hearken unto thee,
and so break the commandment of our great Shaddai, to
join affinity with thee, would not oup Prince reject us, and
cast us off for ever, and being cast off by him, can the
place that he has prepared for thee be a place of rest for
us ! Besides, O thou that art empty and void of all truth,
we are rather ready to die by thy hands than to fall in
with thy flattering and lying deceits."t
When the tyrant saw that there was little to be got in
parleying with my lord mayor, he fell into an hellish
* This infernal liar promises great things — wonderful liberty — all sensual gratifications, with perfect freedom from all religious fears and restraints ; but he does not say, that after all this — " ye shall lie down in sorrow."
f An excellent answer ! Past experience has proved that sin is bitterness in the end. Let us treat satan as a liar, and maintain eur allegiance to our Prince.
U 2
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rage, and resolved that again with his army of Doubters he would another time assault the town of Mansoul.
So he called for his drummer, who beat up for his men (and while he did beat, Mansoul shook) to be in readiness to give battle to the corporation ; then Diabo- lus drew near with his army, and thus disposed of his Diabolus draws men' Captain Cruel, and Captain Tor- up. his army a ment' theSe he dreW Up> and Placed gainst the town, a§ainst Feel-gate, and commanded them to set down there tor the war.* And he also appointed, that, if need were, Captain No-ease should come in to their relief. At Nose-gate he placed Captain Brimstone and Captain Sepulchre, and bid them look well to their ward on that side of the town of Man- soul. But at Eye-gate he placed that grim-faced one the Captain Past-hope, and there also now did he set up his terrible standard.
Now Captain Insatiable was to look to the carriages of Diabolus, and was also appointed to take into custody that, of those persons and things that should at any time as prey be taken from the enemy. The inhabitants of Mansoul kept Mouth-gate for a sally-port, wherefore that they kept strong, for that was it by and out at which the townsfolk sent their petitions to Immanuel their Prince ; that also was the gate, from the top of which the captains played their slings at the enemies, for that gate stood somewhat ascending, so that the placing of them here, and the letting of them fly from that place, did much execution against the tyrant's army ; where- fore for these causes, with others, Diabolus sought, if possible, to stop up Mouth-gate with dirt.f
Now, as Diabolus was busy and industrious in prepar- ing to make his assault upon the town of Mansoul with- out, so the captains and soldiers in the corporation were as busy in preparing within ; they mounted their slings, set up their banners, sounded their trumpets, and put themselves in such order as was judged most for the
* Satan's intention being- to fill the soul with doubts, and, if pos- sible, with despair, places his forces at Feel-gate ; that is, he would lead the soul to doubt by trusting to his religious frames and feelings, instead of looking only to Jesus.
t The christian's chief weapon is prayer 5 no wonder, then, that the enemy wishes to obstruct it.
235
annoyance of the enemy, and for the advantage of Man- soul, and gave their soldiers orders to be ready at the 77 / d wn sound of the trumpet for war. The lord be-will filal WHl-be-wHI also> he took th.e charge of e-wi p. ays watcning against the rebels within, and to
. 6 man' do what he could to take them while with-
out, or to stifle them within their caves, dens and holes in the town-wall of Mansoul. And, to speak the truth of him, ever since he did penance for his fault, he has shewed as much honesty and bravery of spirit as maybe J 11 ? d G ' m Mansoul, for he took one Jolly, and
i t' , *~ his brother Grisjarish, the two sons of his
gish taken and ^ Tr ,b& '. ,, fc . ., •
ex uted servant Harmless-mirth ; (for to that
day, though the father was committed to ward, the sons had a dwelling in the house of my lord) I say, he took them, and with his own hands put them to the cross. And this was the reason why he hang- ed them up : after their father was put into the hand oij Mr. Trueman the gaoler, his sons began to play their* pranks, and to be tricking and toying with the daughters of their lord ; nay, it was jealoused that they were too familiar with them, which was brought to his lordship's ear. Now his lordship being unwilling unadvisedly to put any man to death, did not suddenly fall upon them ; but set watch and spies to see if the thing was true ; of the which he was soon informed, for his two servants, whose names were Find-out and Tell-all, catched them together in an uncivil manner more than once or twice, and went and told their lord. So when my lord Will-be- will had sufficient ground to believe the thing was true, he takes the two young Diabolonians, for such they were (for their father was a Diabolonian born,) and has them to Eye-gate, where he raised a very high cross just in the face of Diabolus, and of his army, and there he hanged the young villains, in defiance to Captain Past- hope, and the horrible standard of the tyrant.
Now this christian act of the brave lord Will-be-will Mortification of ^^ abashed Captain Past-hope, dis- sin is a sign of couraged the army of Diabolus, put fear hohe of life lnto Diabolonian runagades in Man- J J ' soul, and put strength and courage into the captains that belonged to Immanuel the Prince, for they without gathered, and that by this very act of my
236
lord, that Mansoul was resolved to fight, and that the Diabolonians within the town could not do such things as Diabolus had hopes they would. Nor was this the only proof of the brave lord Will-be- will's honesty to the town, nor of his loyalty to his Prince, as will afterwards appear.*
Now when the children of Prudent-thrifty who dwelt with Mr. Mind, (for Thrift left children with Mr, Mind, when he was also committed to prison, and their names were Gripe and Rake-all, these he begat of Mr. Mind's bastard daughter, whose name was Mrs. Hold-fast-bad,) M AT d hi * sa^' wnen ms children perceived how ,t, ' l U^S trte l°rd Will-be-will had served them that dwelt with him, what do they but (lest they should drink of 'the same cup) endeavor to make their escape. But Mr. Mind being wary of it, took them, and put them in hold in his house till morning, (for this was done over-night,) and remembering that by the law of Mansoul all Diabolonians were to die (and to be sure they were at least by father's side such, and some say by mother's side too ;) what does he, but takes them, and puts them in chains, and carries them to the self- same place where rny lord hanged his two before, there he hanged them. The townsmen also took great en- couragement at this act of Mr. Mind, and did what they could to have taken some more of these Diabolonian troublers of Mansoul ; but at that time the rest lay se close, that they could not be apprehended ; so they set against them a diligent watch, and went every man to his placet
I told you a little before, that Diabolus and his army were somewhat abashed and discouraged at the sight of what my lord Will-be-will did, when he hanged up those two young Diabolonians ; but his discouragement quick-
* The world pleads hard for gaiety and freedom of behavior be- tween the sexes ; dancing and other amusements are calculated to promote them. But experience, painful experience, and careful observation, prove their danger. Avoid the appearance of evil, and every approach towards it. The gracious ivill determines on the destruction of carnal jollity and frolic. In this way alone young persons will find their safety ; and this act of mortification will please Christ, and dismay the enemy.
t Covetousness, under whatever name it assumes, must be mor- tified, for it is of the devil.
237
]y turned itself into furious madness and rage against the town of Mansoul, and fight it he would. Also the towns- men and captains within had their hopes and expecta- tion heightened, believing at last the day would be their's, so they feared them the less. Their subordinate preach- er too made a sermon about it, and took that theme for his text, " Gad, a troop shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last." Whence he shewed, that though Mansoul should be sorely put to it at the first, yet the victory should most certainly be Mansours at the last, Gen. xlix. 19.*
So Diabolus commanded that his drummer should beat a charge against the town, and the captains also that were in the town sounded a charge against them, but they had no drum, they were trumpets of silver with which they sounded against them.
„, , ,,, , . Then they which were of the camp
The battle begins c w , , J , . .. . ■
. . Ayr i o* Diabolus came down to the town to
bet ween Mansoul A . , . xl ^
. . * take it, and the captains in the castle,
jnr b *i ^ w*ta ^ie s^nSers at Mouth- gate, play- ed upon them amain. And now there was nothing heard in the camp of Diabolus but horrible rage and blasphemy; but in the town good words, pray- er and singing of psalms. The enemy replied with hor- rible objections, and the terribleness of their drum ; but the town made answer with the slapping of their slings, and the melodious noise of their trumpets. And thus the fight lasted for several days together, only now-and- then they had some small intermission, in which the townsmen refreshed themselves, and the captains made ready for another assault.
The captains of Immanuel were clad in silver armour, and the soldiers in that which was of proof; the soldiers of Diabolus were clad in iron, which was made to give place to Immanuel's engine shot. In the town some were hurt, and some were greatly wounded. Now the worst of it was, a surgeon was scarce in Mansoul, for that Immanuel at this time was absent, Rev. xxii. 2. Psal. xxxviii. 5. Howbeit, with the leaves of a tree the wound- ed were kept from dying, yet their wounds greatly pu-
* This was arguing wisely, and thus should the christian encour- age himself in the Lord his God, when assaulted by an army of doubters.
238
fpjl0 0fMan. trified, and some did grievously stink. soul were ' Of the townsmen these were wounded, to
wounded. wit* my lord Reason> he was wounded, in the head. Another that was wounded, was the brave lord mayor ; he was wounded in the eye. Another that was wounded, was Mr. Mind ; he received his wound about the stomach. The honest subordinate Hoheful Preacner a^so received a shot not far off the thought ncart' lnit none °f these were mortal. Many also of the inferior sort were not only wound- ed, but slain outright. Now in the camp of Diabolus were wounded and slain a considerable number ; for in- Who i t! stance, Captain Rage was wounded, and
. , ri. , so was Captain Cruel. Captain Damna- canifi of Diabo- . j * . 1 • . i
j J , tion was made to retreat, and intrench
tun were wound- , . ,r r . a c ' . .
, / / • himself turtner off of Mansoul ; the
standard also of Diabolus was beaten
down, and his standard-bearer, Captain Much-hurt, had
his brains beat out with a sling-stone, to the no little
grief and shame of his prince Diabolus.
Many also of the doubters were slain outright, though
enough of them were left alive to make Mansoul shc.ke
m, . and totter. Now the victory that day
i .7 K i beine turned to Mansoul, put ereat va-
turned that day ,-,,.* i * • i
nr i £„. lor into the townsmen and captains, and
to AlansouL
' covered Diabolus camp witn a cloud,
but withal it made them far more furious. So the next day Mansoul rested, and commanded that the bells should be rung, the trumpets also joyfully sounded, and the captains shouted round the town.*
My lord Will-be-will also was not idle, but did nota- ble service within against the domestics, or the Diabo- lonians, that were in the town, not only by keeping of them in awe ; for he lighted on one at last whose name
1/ ; wn was ^r' Any-thing, a fellow of whom
My lord mu. mention was made before3 for fc was he, be-wiLL taketh .f yQu rcmember> that brought the three one Anything fellows t0 Diabolus, whom the Diabolo- andoneZoose- ^^ tQok om of Captain Boanerges» foot, ana com- companieSj and that persuaded them to
* By this battle we may understand the conflict that often takes place between faith and unbelief. The believer may be wounded but shall not be slain.
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. ,*_** , list themselves under the tyrant, to fiffht mitteththemio ^m^ ^ army of Shaddai . my ,£rd
ward. Will-bc-will also took a notable Diabolo-
nian, whose name was Loose- foot ; this Loose-foot was a scout to the vagabonds in Mansoul, and used to carry tid- ings out of Mansoul to the camp, and out of the camp to those of the enemies in Mansoul ; both these my lord sent away safe to Mr. Trueman the gaoler, with a com- mandment to keep them in irons ; for he intended then to have them out to be crucified, when it would be for the best to the corporation, and most for the discourage- ment of the camp of the enemies.*
My lord mayor also, though he could not stir about so much as formerly, because of the wound that he had lately received, yet gave he out orders to all that were the natives of Mansoul, to look to their watch, and stand upon their guard, and, as occasion shall offer, to prove themselves men. Mr. Conscience the preacher also did his utmost to keep all his good documents alive upon the hearts of the people of Mansoul.
CHAP. XV.
The inhabitants of Mansoul make a rash sortie on the enemy by nighty but are repulsed with loss....Diabolus makes a desperate attack ufion Feel-gate, which being weak) he forces, and his army of doubters possess the town, committing much violence. ...The inhabitants agree to petition Immanuel, and obtain assistance of the sec* retary.... Captain Credence presents the petition, is fa- ■vorab y received, and made lord- lieutenant of all the force i
WELL, a while after, the captains and stout ones of the town of Mansoul agreed, and resolved up- on a time to make a sally out upon the camp of Diabolus,
* Any-thing means indifference about religion — a conformity, or opposition to it, as convenience requires. Loose-foot, may signi- fy a careless walk and conversation.
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Thecafitainscon- an* *k "^t be done in the night, wit to fallufion and there was the folly of Mansoul
the enemy. (for the mSht ls *ly>T2iYs the best for
y* the enemy, but the worst for Mansoul
to fight in,) but yet they would do it, their courage was so high ; their last victory also still stuck in their me- mories.
The night appointed being come, the Prince's brave Thev fight caPtams cast lots wno should lead the van in the night m th*s new anc* desperate expedition against Who led Diabolus, and against his Diabolonian ar-
the van niy ' anc* tlie lot ^e11 t0 Captain Credence
and Captain Experience ; Captain Good- hope led the forlorn-hope (this Captain Experience the Prince created such when himself resided in the town H r of Mansoul) ; so as I said, they made their
- ..w ey sally out upon the army that lay in the siege Ja against them ; and their hap was to fall in
with the main body of their enemies. Now Diabolus and his men, being expertly accustomed to night work, took the alarm presently, and were as ready to give the bat- tle, as if they had sent them word of their coming- Wherefore to it they went amain, and blows were hard on every side ; the hell-drum also was beat most furious- ly, while the trumpets of the Prince most sweetly sound- ed. And thus the battle was joined, and Captain Insa- tiable looked to the enemies carriages, and waited when he should receive some prey.
The Prince's captains fought it stoutly, beyond what 77 A It mc*eed could be expected they should ; they
leyjig* wounded many, they made the whole army
e ?' of Diabolus to make a retreat. But I cannot
tell how, but as the brave Captain Credence, Captain
Good-hope, and Captain Experience, were upon the
pursuit, cutting down and following hard after the ene-
. r my in the rear, Captain Credence stumbled CafitainLre- and ^ by whkh faU he caught so great a
dence hurt. hui% ^^ he could nQt ^ ^ Captain Ex.
perience helped him up, at which their men were put in disorder ; the captain also was so full of pain, that he could not forbear but aloud to cry out ; at this the other two captains fainted, supposing that Captain Credence had received his mortal wound ; their men also were
241
„, fr more disordered, and had no mind to
ht'afinl fiSht- Now Diabolus being very ob- cap a s/i serving, though at this time as yet he was put to the worst, perceiving that an halt was made among the pursuers, what does he, but taking it for granted that the captains were either wounded or dead ; he therefore at first makes a stand, then faces about, and
r,. , 7 , T so comes up upon the Prince's army with Diabolus takes , r u* r u n u u 1
as much of his fury as hell could help
' a*€* him to, and his hap was to fall in just
among the three captains, Captain Credence, Captain Good-hope, and Captain Experience, and did cut, wound, and pierce them so dreadfully, that what through dis- couragement, what through disorder, and what through yt, p . , the wounds that now they had received, and
x- u °f 3 also the loss of much blood, they scarce forces beaten. ,, , . . - , , r, .- J ,
were able (though they had tor their pow- er the three best hands in Mansoul) to get safe into the town again.
Now when the body of the Prince's army, saw how these three captains were put to the worst, they thought it their wisdom to make as safe and good a retreat as they could, and so returned by the sally-port again, and so there was an end of the present action.*
Diabolus was so flushed with this night's work, that Diabolus flushed. ^ promised himself in a few days an J easy and complete conquest over the
town of Man soul : wherefore on the day following he tt . . comes up to the sides thereof with great
. boldness, and demands entrance, and that
forthwith they deliver themselves up to his government (the Diabolonians too that were within be- gan to be somewhat brisk, as we shall shew afterwards) but the valiant lord-mayor replied, that what he got he
The mayor's must get by. force ; for.aS long as Imman" uel their Prince was alive, (though he at answer. . , , ' v .& . ,
present was not so with them as they wish- ed) they could never consent to yield Mansoul up to another.
* The night of darkness and desertion was not a proper season for this exertion. This sally seems intended to describe the preva- lence of a self-confident sp hit, which cannot issue well ; for faith, hope, and experience are wounded.
V
242
The Lord Will-be-will then stood up, and said, " Di-
Brave Will-be- at>olus' tll0U master of the den, and ene-
nvilfs sheech ' my t0 a11 that is g0od' we Poor inhabi" tants of the town of Mansoul are too well
acquainted with thy rule and government, and with the end of those things that for certain will follow submit- ting to thee, to do it. Wherefore, though a while we were without knowledge, we suffered thee to take us (a* the bird that saw not the snare fell into the hands of the fowler) yet since we have been turned from darkness to light, we have also been turned from the power of satan to God. And though through thy subtlety, and the subtlety of the Diabolonians within, we have sustained much loss, and also plunged ourselves into much per- plexity, yet give up ourselves, lay down our arms, and yield to so horrid a tyrant as thou, we will not ; die upon the place we chuse rather to do. Besides, we have hopes that in time deliverance will come from court unto us, and therefore we yet will maintain war against thee."*
This brave speech of the Lord Will-be-will, with that also of the lord-mayor, somewhat abated the boldness of Diabolus, though it kindled the fury of his rage. It al- 7 , so encouraged the townsmen and captains ;
ne callta™s yea, it was as a plaister to the brave Cap- 6 tain Credence's wound ; for you must know
that a brave speech now, when the captains of the town, With their men of war, came home routed, and when the enemy took courage and boldness at the success he had obtained, to draw up to the walls, and demand en- trance, as he did, was in season, and also advantageous.
The Lord Will-be-will also played the man within, 7/1*7/ for while the captains and soldiers were in
mu-be-nviu s the fiejd) he was m arms jn the town, and gallantry. -wherever by him there was a Diabolonian found, they were forced to feel the weight of his heavy hand, and also the edge of his penetrating sword ; many therefore of the Diabolonians he wounded, as the Lord Cavil, the Lord Brisk, the Lord Pragmatic, the Lord
* Whatever temporary advantage satan may gain over a gracious soul, yet, " the root of the matter remaining," it will not give place to him, or patiently endure the thoughts of returning under his hel- lish tyranny.
243
Murmur ; several also of the meaner sort he sorely maimed : though there cannot at this time an account be given you of any that he slew outright. The cause, or rather the advantage that my Lord YVill-be-will had at this time to do thus, was, for that the captains were gone out to light the enemy in the field. For now, thought the Diabolonians within, is our time to stir and make an uproar in the town ; what do they therefore but quickly get themselves into a body, and fall forthwith to hu meaning in Mansoul, as if now nothing but whirl- wind and tempest should be there : wherefore, as I said, he takes this opportunity to fall in among them with his men, cutting and slashing with courage that was un- daunted ; at which the Diabolonians with all haste dis- persed themselves to their holds, and my lord to his place as before.
This brave act of my lord somewhat revenged the wrong done by Diabolus to the captains, and also lefe them know, that Mansoul was not to be parted with, for .,. .. ... the loss of a victory or two ; wherefore
ottnng like flicwjng 0fthe tyrant was dipt again, as S-y c s to boasting, I mean, in comparison of what
umoolus. he WQuld haye done if the Diabolonians
bad put the town to the same plight to which he had put
the captains.
Well. Diabolus yet resolves to have the other bout
with Mansoul ; for, thought he, since I beat them once,
I may beat them twice : wherefore he commanded his
men to be ready at such an hour of the night to make a
fresh assault upon the town, and he gave it out in spe-
TT , . , , . cial, that they should bend all their
He tries what he v „ u , ,
. . force against Feel-gate, and attempt to
can do uhon the , , .a , . , , , %!-.
5 P , break into the town through that. The sense and feel- . , Aj , ' .• cc
irnrs of the chris- WOrd that thcn he Save tG hls officers . J and soldiers was, hell-fire. And, said
he, if we break in upon them, as I wish
we do, either with some, or with all our force, let them
that break in look to it, that they forget not the word.
And let nothing be heard in the town of Mansoul, but
hell-fire, hell-fire, hell-fire ! The drummer was also to
beat without ceasing, and the standard-bearers were to
display their colours j the soldiers too were to put on
244
what coinage tkey could, and to see that they played manfully their parts against the town.*
So the night being come, and all things by the tyrant made ready for the work, he suddenly makes his assault upon Feel-gate, and after he had a while struggled there, he throws the gates wide open ; for the truth is, those gates were but weak, and so most easily made to yield. When Diabolus had thus far made his attempt, he placed his captains, to wit, Torment and No-case, there; so he attempted to press forward, hut the Prince's captains came down upon him, and made his entrance more difficult than he desired. And to speak truth, they made what resistance they could ; but three of their best and most valiant captains being wounded, and by their wounds made much incapable of doing the town that service they would (and all the rest having .more than their hands full of the doubters, and their captains
^ ,ru that followed Diabolus) they were over-
JhearmyoJDz- ered with forcej nor collld they
aholus fiosscss * them ^ q{ the towQ Where.
themselves of ^ the ppince»s men and their cap. the tcnvn.tv/n.e uins betQok themselyes t0 the castiCj as the cafitains of ^ ^ 8tr _hold of the town . and this Iinmanuelfyto they didj paniy for their own security, the castle. partly for the security of the town, and
partly, or rather chiefly, to preserve to Immanuel the prerogative royal of Mansoul, for so was the castle of" Mansoul.
The captains therefore being fled into the castle, the enemy, without much resistance, possess themselves of the rest of the town, and spreading themselves as they went, into every corner, they cried out as they marched, according to the command of the tyrant, hell-fire, hell- fire, hclUtire ! so that nothing for a while throughout the town of Mansoul could be heard but the direful noise of
* It is now determined to bend all the force of Diabolus against F»el-gate, and the cry was incessantly to be hell-fire ! hell-fire ! The meaning is this : christians are to live by feith, not by sense, or feeling— the}- should derive their hope, not from their feelings and frames in religious duties, &c. but from Jesus alone, and his perfect righteousness. But if, on the contrary, they depend on their feel- ings, satan may possibly enter the soul with mnumwable doubts, and the fear of hell-fir* may be terribly
245
hell-fire, together with the roaring of Diabolus's drum. And now did the clouds hang black over Mansoul, nor to reason, did any thing but ruin seem to attend it. Di- abolus also quartered his soldiers in the houses of the in- habitants of the town of Mansoul. Yea, the subordinate preacher's house was as full of these outlandish doubters as ever it could hold ; and so Was my lord-mayor's, and my Lord Will-be-will's also. Yea, where was there a corner, a cottage, a barn, or a hog-sty, that now was not full ot these vermin ? Yea, they turned the men of the town out of their houses, and would lie in their beds, and sit at their tables themselves. Ah, poor Mansoul ! now thou feelest the fruits of sin, and what venom there was in the flattering words of Mr. Carnal-security ! They
tl j z, made ejreat havoc of whatever they laid 1 he doubters , • , , , e j *u *
make tr t hands on ; yea, they fired the town
, . ,. in several places; many young children
havoc in the , , i j . j • • •
r also were by them dashed in pieces, yea,
those that were yet unborn they destroyed in their mother's wombs ; for you must needs think that it could not now be otherwise ; for what conscience, what pity, what bowels of compassion can any expect at the hands of outlandish doubters ? Many in Mansoul that were women, both young and old, they forced, ravished, and beast-like abused, so that they swooned, miscarried, and many of them died, and so lay at the top of every street, and in all by-places of the town.
And now did Mansoul seem to be nothing but a den of dragons, an emblem of hell, and a place of total dark- ness. Now did Mansoul lie almost like the barren wil- derness ; nothing but nettles, briers, thorns, weeds, and stinking things seem now to cover the face of Mansoul. I told you before, how that these Diabolonian doubters turned the men of Mansoul out of their beds ; and now I will add, they wounded them, they mauled them, yea, and almost brained many of them. Many, did I say ? yea, most, if not all of them. Mr. Conscience they so wounded, yea, and his wounds so festered, that he could Sad work among hfave n.° eaf day nor night, but lay as the townsmen. jf continually upon a rack (but that bnaadai rules all, certainly they had slain him outright.) My lord-mayor they so abused, that they almost put out his eyes ; my Lord Will-be-will got
V2
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Satanhasafior. ^to the castle ; they intended to have ticulanfiite popped him all to pieces, for they
against a sancti- l°t°k^ T" him. (" hls he*rt n°w fied will. stood) to be one of the very worst
was in Mansoul against Diabolu* his crew. And indeed he shewed himself a mar more of his exploits you will hear of afterwards.
Now a man might have walked for many days togeth- er in Mansoul, and scarce have seen one in the town that looked like a religious man. Oh the fearful state of Man*
The soul full of S0U* now ' now everv corner swarmed
iji *u Ia, with outlandish doubters; red-coats and
idle thouvhts , , , ., , . , ,
^ ki 2t t black-coats walked the town by clus- and blasphemies* . , ril , ,, \ , J
1 tersj and filled up all the houses with
hideous noises, vain songs, lying stories, and blasphe- mous language against Shaddai and his Son. Now also those Diabolonians that lurked in the walls, and densr and holes that were in the town of Mansoul, came forth and shewed themselves ; yea, walked with open face in company with the doubters that were in Mansoul. Yea, they had more boldness now to walk the streets, to haun; the houses, and to shew themselves abroad, than had any of the honest inhabitants of the now woeful town o£ Mansoul. But Diabolus and his outlandish men were not at peace in Mansoul ; for they were not there enter- tained as were the captains and forces of Immanuel ; the townsmen browbeat them what they could ; nor did they partake or make destruction of any of the necessaries of Mansoul, but that which they seized on against the townsmen's will ; what they could they hid from them, and what they could not they had with an ill will. They, poor hearts, had rather have had their room than their ony, but they were at present their captives, and their captives for the present they were forced to be, Rom. vii. But I say, they discountenanced them as much as they wore able, and shewed them all the dislike that they could.*
* This is an awful representation of the state of a soul overwhelm- ed With distressing doubts of God's love, and fears of eternal de- struction ; " torment," and " loss of ease," take possession. The understanding is darkened, and the conscience wounded ; while a crowd of idle thoughts, vanities, sad blasphemies increase the cob* ftRxpn and dismay.
held them in cof>
f.imial to the chafing and fretting
True, Diabolus made a
. r. . , . groat many attempts to have broken JIfr.Godfy.fearia £ the £ of the castl but Mr#
n*de keefier of $^y.feflr* w made lhe keeper of
tne castle-gatcs. ^ . „nd he was ft man of couragC>
conduct, and valor, so that it was in vain, as long as life h/.sted within him, to think to do that work, though most- ly desired ; wherefore all the attempts that Diabolus made against him were fruitless (I have wished some- times that thai man had had the whole rule of the town of Mansoul.)
Well, this was the con dl ti on of the town of Mansoul
7V / f ^ora-:)OUt Vyo ye^vs and an half; the body
mn oj f tj t wa8 t^e se?.. 0f war ; the peo- JSIunsoul the , c , , • » * u 1
^ pie of the town were driven into holes*
tea dust ; what rest then could be to the inhabitants, what peace could Mansoul have, and what sun could shine upon it ? Had the enemy lain so long without in the plain against the town, it had been enough to famish them ; but now when they shall be within, when the town shall be their tent, their trench, and fort against the castle that was in the town, when the town shall be against the town, and shall serve to be a defence to the enemies of her strength and life ; I say, when they shall make use •f the forts and town-holds to secure themselves in, even
Th h t ^ *k£y s^,a^ ta^cJ sP°il> and demolish the castle ; this was terrible, and yet this was now the state of the town of Mansoul.*
After the town of Mansoul had been in this sad and lamentable condition for so long a time as I have told yon, and no petitions that they had presented their Prince with (all this while) could prevail ; the inhabitants of the to wit, the elders and chief of Mansoul, gather to- gether, and after some time spent in condoling their miserable state, and this miserable judgment coming
• In the midst of all this misery, the castle is safe, or, in other words, the heart remains right'witb God, Godly-fear being the keeper of it. In many a soul where distressing doubts prevail, per- haps for years, the fear of God is yet in the heart, go that it still cleaves to him, and opposes gin.
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upon them, they agreed together to draw up yet another petition, and to send it away to Immanuel for relief. But
Mr. Godly-fear's **■ ^^•^ *\0od UP\and ^^J- advicc about draw- Zdl That h* kneW hia L°'d the ing ufi a petition to Prmce neve.r dld' n°r ever Would re' the Prince ceive a petition for these matters from
the hand of any whoever, unless the lord secretary's hand was to it (and this, quoth he, is the reason you prevailed not all this while.") Then they said they would draw up one, and get the lord secretary's hand to it. But Mr. Godly-fear answered again, " That he knew also that the lord secretary would not set his hand to any petition that himself had not an hand in com- posing and drawing up ; and besides, said he, the Prince doth know my lord secretary's hand from all the hands in the world ; wherefore he cannot be deceived by any pretence whatever ; wherefore my advice is, that you go to my lord, and implore him to lend you his aid." (Now he abode in the castle, where all the captains and men at arms were.) So they heartily thanked Mr. Godly- fear, took his counsel, and did as he had bidden them ; so they departed and came to my lord, and made known the cause of their coming to him ; to wit, that since Mansoul was in so deplorable a condition, his highness would be pleased to undertake to draw up a petition for them to Immanuel, the Son of the mighty Shaddai, and to their King and his Father, by him.
Then said the secretary to them, " What petition is it that you would have me draw up for you ?" But they said, Our lord knows best the state and condition of the town of Mansoul, and how we are backslidden and de- generated from the Prince ; thou also knowest who is come up to war against us, and how Mansoul is now the seat of war. My lord knows, moreover, what barbarous usage our men, women, and children have suffered at their hands, and how our home-bred Diabolonians walk now with more boldness than dare the townsmen in the rj, streets of Mansoul. Let our lord
1 he secretary re- therefore accCording to the wisdom of Quested to draw ^ j ^ • • «• ? y" . " God that is in him, draw up a petition
*fi a petition /or {qt hh ^qqt scrvants t0 our prince Im.
mansoiu. manuel. « Well (said the lord secre-
tary) I will draw up a petition for you> and will also set
249
my hand thereto." Then said they, "But when shall we call for it at the hand of our lord i" He answered, 4fc Yourselves must be present at the doing of it. Yea, you must put your desires to it. True, the hand and pen shall be mine, but the ink and paper must be your's, else how can you say, it is your petition ! Nor have I need to petition for myself, because I have not offend- ed."
He also added as followeth : "No petition goes from me in my name to the Prince, and so to his Father by him, but when the people, that are chiefly concerned therein, join in heart and soul in the matter, for that must be inserted therein."*
So they heartily agreed with the sentence of the lord, and a petition was forthwith drawn up for them. But now who shall carry it, that was the next. But the sec- retary advised that Captain Credence should carry it, for he was a well-spoken man. They therefore called for him, and propounded to him the business. Well, said the captain, I gladly accept of the motion ; and though I am lame, I will do this business for you, with as much speed, and as well as I can.f The contents of the pe- tition were to this purpose :
"O our Lord and sovereign Prince Immanuel, the po- The petition of *enC> the long-suffering Prince ! Grace Mansoul to the }s Poured int° th/ h?s> and t° thee be- Prince human- lons mercy and forgiveness, though we
, have rebelled against thee. We who
are no more worthy to be called thy Mansoul, nor yet fit to partake of common benefits, do beseech thee, and thy Father by thee, to do away our trans- gressions. We confess that thou mightest cast us away for them, but do it not for thy name's sake ; let the Lord rather take an opportunity, at our miserable condition, to let out his bowels of compassion to us ; we are compassed on every side, Lord, our own backslidings reprove us, our
* This is an illustration of that text, Rom. viii. 26. " The Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray tor as we ought, &c." The original word helpeth, signifies helping together, like two persons uniting to lift up a weight. Thus should we ever implore tlie assistance of the good Spirit to indite our petitions; and (blessed be God) it is said, " He will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him."
f Credence is a very proper pwsen tt earry the petition, for we are Xopray in faith.
250
writhin our town fright us, and the army of mgel of the bottomless pit distress us. Thy grace can be our salvation, and whither to go but to thee we know no*.
" Furthermore, O gracious Prince, we have weakened our captains, and they are discouraged, sick, and of late some of them grievously worsted, and beaten out of the field by the power and force of the tyrant. Yea, even those of our captains, in whose valor we formerly used to put most of our confidence, they are as wounded men. Besides, Lord, cur enemies are lively, and they are strong, they vaunt and boast themselves, and threaten to part us among themselves for a booty. They are fallen also upon us, Lord, with many thousand doubters, such as with whom we cannot tell what to do ; they are all grim-looked and unmerciful ones, and they bid defiance to us and thee.
K Our wisdom is gore, our power is gone, because thou art departed from us, nor have we what we may- call cur's, but sin, shame, and confusion of face for sin. Take pity upon us, O Lord, take pity upon us, thy mis- erable town of Mansoul, and save us out of the hands of our enemies. Amen."*
This petition, as was touched afore, was handed by
the lord secretary, and carried to the court by the brave
and most stout Captain Credence. Now he carried it
out at Mouth-gate, for that, as I said, was the sally-port
of the town ; and he went, and came to Immanuel with
it. Now how it came out, I do not know, but for certain
it did, and that so far as to reach the ears of Diabolus.
Thus I conclude, because that the tyrant had it presently
by the end, and charged the town of Mansoul with it ;
saying, " Thou rebellious and stubborn-
^atan cannot hcaried Mansoul, I wm make thee to leave
abme firayer. 0ff petitioning ; art thou yet for petition-
I wHi make thee to leave off.'' Yea, he also knew
who the messenger was that carried the petition to the
Prince, and it made him both fear and rage. Where-
te commanded that his drum should be beat again,
; that Mansoul could not abide to hear ? but when
.us would have his drum beat, Mansoul »uat abide
• An excellent prayer ! full of humility and faitfe;
251
the noise. Well, the drum was beat, and the Diabolo- nians were gathered together.*
Then said Diabolus, " O ye stout Diabolonians, be it known unto you, that there is treach us in the rebellious town of Mansoul; frr . town is in our possession, as you see, ye .isera-
ble Mansoulians have attempted to dare, and hfkve so hardy as yet to send to the court of Immanv. help. This I give you to understand, that ye may yet know how to carry it to the wretched town ot Mansoul.
_^ . Wherefore, O my trusty Diabolonians, I
Diabolus ts en- commandj that yet more and inore ye
ra^ed agamst distrcss thU tov, n of Mnasoul, and vex it
vjf lown °J with your wiles, ravish their women, de- Mansoul. cr their virginSj sky thelr chjlciren>
brain their ancients, fire their town, and do what other mischief you can ; and let this be the reward of the Mansoulians from me, for their desperate rebellion against me."
This you see was the charge, but something stepped in betwixt that and execution, for as yet there was little more done than to rage.
Moreover, when Diabolus had done thus, he went the next clay up to the castle-gates, and demanded that, upon pain of death, the gates should be opened to him, and that entrance should be given him and his men that fol- lowed after. To whom Mr. Godly-fear replied (for he it was that had the charge of that gate) " That the gate should net be opened unto him, nor to the men that fol- lowed after him." Ke said, moreover, " That Mansoul, when she had suffered awhile, should be made perfect, strengthened, and settled."
Then said Diabolus, " Deliver me then the men that
Satan cannot Petitioned against me, especially Captain
abide faith
J ' deliver that varlet into my hands, and I
will depart from the town."f
Then upstarts a Diabolonian, whose name was Mr. lg, and said, " My lord oilercth you fair, it is bet-
* When Christians pray, gatan rages ; for he hates the prayer of fjjth, and dreads ite effect. t Cwuld faith be given up, satan would obtain all his desire*
252
ter for you thafc one man perish, than that your whole Mansoul should be undone."
But Mr. Godly -fear made him this replication : " How long will Mansoul be kept out of the dungeon, when she hath given up her faith to Diabolus ? As good lose the town as lose Captain Credence ; for if one be gone, the other must follow." But to that Mr. Fooling said noth- ing.
Then did my lord-mayor reply, and said, " O thou de- vouring tyrant, be it known unto thee, we shall hearken to none of thy words; we are resolved to resist thee as long as a captain, a man, a sling, and a stone to throw at thee, shall be found in the town of Mansoul."
But Diabolus answered, " Do you hope, do you wait,
n. , ; do you look for help and deliverance ?
Uiaoolus ragee. You haye ^^ tQ ImmanueIj bm your
wickedness sticks too close in your skirts, to let innocent
prayer come out of your lips. Think you, that you shall
be prevailers, and prosper in this design ? You will fail
in your wish, you will fail in your attempts ; for it is not
only I, but your Immanuel is against you. Yea, it is he
that hath sent me against you to subdue you ; for what
then do you hope, or by what means will you escape ?
Then said my lord-mayor, " We have sinned indeed,
„,, 7 , , but that shall be no help to thee, for
The lord-mayor * ^ Immanuel hath said it> and that
sfieechjustut he ^ faithfulness, ' And him that
time of the return CQ£GihtQ me l win in no wise cast of Cafitain Lre- ^ Re hath ^ iM ug ^Q quv ^
emy) that * all manner of sin and blas- phemy shall be forgiven to the sons of men.' There- fore we dare not despair, but will look for, and wait for mercy."*
And now by this time Captain Credence was come from the court from Immanuel to the castle of Mansoul, and he returned to them with a packet. So my lord- mayor, hearing that Captain Credence was come, with- drew himself from the noise of the roaring of the tyrant, and left him to yell at the wall of the town, or against the gates of the castle. He then came up to the cap-
* Nothing like the precious promises as an answer to satan. With the word of God our Lord himself silenced the devil in the wilder- ness.
253
tain's lodgings, and, saluting him, asked him of his wel- fare, and what was the best news at court ? But when he asked Captain Credence that, the water stood in his eyes. Then said the captain, cheer up my lord, for all will be well in time. And with that he first produced his packet, and laid it by, but that the lord mayor and the rest of the captains took for a sign of good tidings. (Now a season of grace being come, he sent for all the captains and elders of the town that were here and there in their lodgings, in the castle, and upon their guard, to let them know that Captain Credence was returned from the court, and that he had something in general, and something in special, to communicate to them.) So they all came up to him, and saluted him, and asked him con- cerning his journey, and what was the best news at court ? And he answered them, as he had done the lord mayor before, that all would be well at last.*
Now when the captain had thus saluted them, he open-
Th k ec* ^s Pac^et» anc* tnence drew out of it sev- d 6 era* notes f°r tnose tnat ne nacl sent for.
vft And the first note was for my lord mayor,
wherein was signified : " The Prince Immanuel had
. taken it well that my lord mayor had been
, *? eJormy so true and trusty in his office, and the 1 ' great concerns that lay upon him for the town and people of Mansoul. Also he bid him to know that he took it well that he had been so bold for his Prince Immanuel, and had engaged so faithfully in his cause against Diabolus. He also signified at the close of his letter, that he should shortly receive his reward." The second note that came out, was for the noble Lord
4 f Will-be-will, wherein there was signi-
Lrd mil-be- fied' " That his Prince Immanuel did ?!". l well understand how valiant and coura-
geous he had been for the honor of his Lord, now in his absence, and when his name was under contempt by Diabolus. There was signified also, that his Prince had taken it well that he had been so faithful to the town of Mansoul, in his keeping of so strict a hand and eye over, and so strict a rein upon the necks
* This is the proper language of faith, " All shall be well at the h*t.'»
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254
of the Diabolonians that still were lurking in their sev- eral holes in the famous town of Mansoul."
He signified moreover, " that he understood that my lord had with his own hand done great execution upon some of the chief of the rebels there, to the great dis- couragement of the adverse party, and to the good ex- ample of the whole town of Mansoul, and that shortly his lordship should have his reward."
The third note came out for the subordinate preacher, A note for the ,whfr.ein wfs signified, " That his Prince subordinate t0ok lt Wel1 from him> that he had so hon* tireacher. estIy and so faitnfllllv performed his office, and executed the trust committed to him by his Lord, while he exhorted, rebuked, and forewarn- ed Mansoul according to the laws of the town. He sig- nified moreover, " that he took it well at his hand, that he called to fasting, to sack- cloth, and ashes, when Man- sour was under her revolt. Also, that he called for the aid of the Captain Boanerges to help in so mighty a work, and that shortly he also should receive his reward."
The fourth note came out for Mr. Godly-fear, wherein 4 note for Mr ms Lord thus sigmfied ; " That his Lord* Godly-fear. * sl^P observed> tnat fte was tne first of all the men in Mansoul that detected Mr. Carnal-security, as the only one that, through his subtil- ty and cunning, had obtained for JDiabolus a defection and decay of goodness in the blessed town of Mansoul. Moreover, his Lord gave him to understand, that he still remembered his tears and mourning for the state of Man- soul." It was also observed by the same note, "that his Lord took notice of his detecting this Mr. Carnal-secu- rity at his table among his guests, in his own house, and that in the midst of his jolliness, even while he was seek- ing to perfect his villanies against the town of Mansoul. Immanuel also took notice, that this reverend person, Mr. Godly-fear, stood stoutly to it at the gates of the castle against all the threats and attempts of the tyrant, and that he had put the townsmen in a way to make their petition to their Prince, so as that he might accept thereof, and as that they might obtain an answer of peace ; and that therefore shortly he should receive his reward."
After all this, there was yet produced a note which
255
/> r th was wr^ttcn t0 tne whole town of Man-
A notel°t: soul, whereby they perceived, " That town oj Man- ^^ Lord tQok nQtice of theip sooften re_
peating petitions to him, and that they should see more of the fruits of such their doings in time to come.'* Their Prince also therein told them, " that he took it well, that their heart and mind now at last abode fixed upon him, and his ways, though Diabo- lus had made such inroads upon them, and that, neither flatteries on the one hand, nor hardships on the other, could make them yield to serve his cruel designs. There was also inserted at the bottom of this note, " that his Lordship had left the town of Mansoul in the hands of the lord secretary, and under the conduct of Captain Credence ; saying, Beware that you yet yield yourselves unto their governance, and in due time you shall receive your reward."*
After the brave Captain Credence had delivered his notes to those to whom they belonged, he retired him- self to my lord secretary's lodgings, and there spends his time in conversing with him ; for they two were very great one with another, and indeed knew more how things would go with Mansoul than all the townsmen besides. The lord secretary also loved Captain Cre- dence dearly, yea, many a good bit was sent him from my lord's table ; also he might have a shew of counte- nance when the rest of Mansoul lay under the clouds ; so after some time for converse was spent, the captain betook himself to his chamber to rest. But not long after my lord sent for the captain again ; so the captain came to him, and they greeted one another with usual salutations. Then said the captain to the lord secreta- ry, " What hath my lord to say to his servant ?" So the lord secretary took him and had him aside, and, after a sign or two of more favor, he said, I M have Captain Cre- made thee the lord-lieutenant over all the dence made forces in Mansoul ; so that from this day lord-lieuten- forward all men in Mansoul shall be at
• In due time believers " shall reap, if they faint not." The Lord observes and approves the works of faith and the labors of love here mentioned, and none of them shall lose its reward. The honest ef- forts of the understanding, the will, the conscience, and the fear of G©d, shall, at length, be crowned with success.
25$
ant over all thy word, and thou shalt be he that shall the forces in lead in and that shall lead out Mansoul. Man soul. Thou shalt therefore manage, according to thy place, the war for thy Prince, and for the town of Mansoul, against the force and power of Diabolus, and at thy command shall the rest of the cap- tains be."
Now the townsmen began to perceive what interest
«/». . the captain had, both with the court and
i ne townsmen , 5. . j : , _ .
,/*c,v- *„ a m , also with the lord secretary in Man- elesire to be fiut , c ^ r i i *
-/«,;—. *u soul > lor no nian before could speed
■under the gov- , ' , • , , l
„„.„*„, ?r* + when sent, nor bring such good news eminent of Lap- f , _ , ° , 9,TI -
t . r. / y irom Immanuel as he. Wherefore tain Lredence. , , ,, / r. i
what do they (after some lamentation
that they made no more use of him in their distresses) but send by their subordinate preacher to the lord sec- retary, to desire him that all that ever they were and had might be put under the government, care, custody, and conduct of Captain Credence.*
So their preacher went and did his errand, and receiv- ed this answer from the mouth of his lord : That Captain Credence should be the great doer in all the King's ar- my against the King's enemies, and also for the welfare •f Mansoul. So he bowed to the ground, and thanked his lordship, and returned and told his news to the towns- folk. But all this was done with all imaginable secrecy, because the foes had yet great strength in the town. But to return to our story again*
CHAP. XVI.
A new Plot is laid to ruin the Town by Riches and Pros- perity Immanuel appears in the Field to assist the
Forces of Mansoul^ whereby the whole Army of Doubt- ers is completely routed — Immanuel enters the Town amidst the most joyful Acclamations of the Inhabitants.
WHEN Diabolus saw himself thus boldly confront- ed by the lord mayor, and perceived the stout-
* The design of this is, to show that the soul is to live by faith, and not by genie. The gpirit of God puts honor upon faith, an*
257
ness of Mr. Godly- fear, he fell into a rage, and forthwith called a council of war, that he might be revenged on Mansoul. So all the princes of the pit came together, and old Incredulity at the head of them, with all the cap- tains cf his army. So they consulted what to do. Now the effect and conclusion of the council that day was, how they might take the castle, because they could not conclude themselves masters of the town so long as that was in the possession of their enemies. So one advised this way, and another advised that ; but when they could n.~ . . not agree in their verdict, Apollyon, the
mcnlsinDiabo- PresideRt of the council, stood up, and j , 1 thus he besran : "My brotherhood (quoth
lus s council of , v T , & . i " K\
J he) I have some things to propound un- to you ; and my first is this : Let us withdraw ourselves from the town into the plain again, for our presence here will do us no good, because the castle is yet in our enemies' hands ; nor is it possible that we should take that, so long as so many brave cap- tains are in it, and this bold fellow, Godly-fear, is made the keeper of the gates of it.
" Now when we have withdrawn ourselves into the plain, they of their own accord will be glad of some little ease, and it may be of their own accord they again may begin to be remiss, and even their so being will give them a bigger blow than we can possibly give them our- selves. But if that should fail, our going forth out of the town may draw the captains out after us, and you know what it cost them when we fought them in the field before. Besides, can we but draw them out into the fields, we may lay an ambush behind the town, which shali, when they are come forth abroad, rush in and take pos- session of the castle." But Beelzebub stood up and re- Beelzebub pl*ed ' saym£> II is impossible to draw them harangues. a11 off (rom the castle > some, you may be sure, will lie there to keep that ; wherefore it will be but in vain thus to attempt, unless we were
makes him chief captain in the town. This is a token for good, now that the doubters prevail in the town. This is a prelude of victory over them. The inhabitants are, at length, aware of his abilities, and wish to be under his control. Thus Christians learn, but seldom without painful experience, that they are not to live by their feelings, but by their faith.
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sure that they will all come out. He therefore conclud- ed, that what was done must be done by some other means. And the most likely means that the greatest of their heads could invent, was, that which Apollyon had, advised to before ; to wit, to get the townsmen again to sin. For, said he, it is not our being in the town, nor in the field, nor our fighting, nor our killing of their men, that can make us the masters of Mansoul ; for so Mansoul cannot I°°* as one in the town is able to lift up be taken, while h\S fi"Ser aSamst us> Immanuel W1.11 the inhabitants take tbeir ?artS> and lf ^ sha11 take their do not consent ?arts. We know what a time a day it will tQ 8in be with us. Wherefore, for my part*
quoth he, there is, in my judgment, no way to bring them into bondage to us like inventing a way to make them sin, 2 Pet. ii. 1 8, 1 9, 20, 2 1 . Had we, said he, left all our doubters at home, we had done as well as we have done now, unless we could have made them the mas- ters and governors of the castle ; for doubters at a distance are but like objections repelled with arguments. Indeed* can we but get them into the hold, and make them posses- sors of that, the day will be our own. Let us therefore withdraw ourselves into the plain (not expecting that the captains in Mansoul should follow us,) but yet, I say, let us do this ; and before we do so, let us advise again with our trusty Diabolonians that are yet in the holds of Mansoul, and set them to work to betray the town to us j for they indeed must do it, or it will be left undone for ever. By these sayings of Beelzebub (for I think it was he that gave this counsel) the whole conclave was forced to be of his opinion ; to wit, that the way to get the castle was to get the town to sin. Then they fell to inventing by what means they might do this thing.*
Then Lucifer stood up and said, u The counsel of Beelzebub is pertinent ; now the way to bring this to pass, in my opinion, is this : Let us withdraw our force from the town of Mansoul : let us do this, and let us ter- rify them no more, either with summonses or threats, or with the noise of our drum, or any other awakening
* The great object of temptation is to allure us to sin. Satan cannot hope to possess the heart until it be firtt brought over t* the side of iniquity.
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means. Only let us lie in the field at a distance, and be as if we regarded them not (for frights I see do but awaken them, and make them stand more to their arms.)
Lucifer fir u-
I have also another stratagem in my head :
J l i~ you know Mansoul is a market town, a fiosea another iown that delights in commerce; what
A f' /" therefore if some of our Diabolonians shall te taking of fejgn themselves far countrymen, and shall go out and bring to the market of Man- soul some of our wares to sell ; and what matte at what rates they sell their wares, though it be but for half the worth ? Now let those that thus trade in iheir market, be those that are witty and true to us, and I will lay my crown to pawn, it will do. There are two that are come to my thoughts already, that I think will be arch at this work, and they are, Mr. Penny-wise-pound-foolish, and Mr. Get-i'th-hundred-and-lose-ith'- shire -^ nor is this man with the long name at all inferior to the other. What also if you join with them Mr. Sweet-world and Mr. Present-good, they are men that are civil and cunning, and our true friends and helpers, Rev. iii. IT. Let these, with as many more engage in this business for us, and let Mansoul be taken up in much business, and let them grow full and rich, and this is the way to get ground of them ; remember ye not, that thus we prevailed upon Laodicea, and how many at present do we hold in this snare ! Now when they begin to grow full. they will for- get their misery, and, if we shall not affright them, may happen to fall asleep, and so be got to neglect their town- watch, their castle-watch, as well as their watch at the gates.* " Yea, may we not by this means so cumber Mansoul
The d e 'tf I w^ aDun Qf-if, " to make of their castle a warehouse, in- j C8. stea(j 0£ a garrison fortified against us,
b • " Penny-wise and pound foolish," 8tc are proverbial expres- sions, denoting the folly of those who are anxious to obtain small gains, while they neglect large profits. Satan having found that his doubts and.fearsdid not succeed, but had rather kept men alert, now proposes to try the effect of worldly prosperity, as likely to produce carelessness* And indeed great is the danger, when the castle, (the heart) which should be the temple of the Lord, is turned iirto a warehouse.
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and a receptacle of men of war ? Thus if we get our goods and commodities thither, I reckon that the castle is more than half ours. Besides, could we so order it, that they should be filled with such kind of wares, then, if we made a sudden assault upon them, it would be hard for the captain to take a shelter there. Do you know that of the parable, Luke viii. 14. " The deceitfulness of riches chokes the work." And again, u When the heart is overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, all mischief conies upon them unawares," chap. xxi. 34, 35, 36.
" Furthermore, my lords, (quoth he) you very well know that it is not easy for a people to be filled with our things, and not to have some of our Diabolonians as re- tainers to their houses and services. Where is a Man- soulian that is full of this world, that has not for his ser- vants and waiting-men, Mr. Profuse, or Mr. Prodigality, or some other of our Diabolonian gang ; as Mr. Volup- tuousness, Mr. Pragmatical, Mr. Ostentation, or the like ? Now these can take the castle of Mansoul, or blow it up, or make it unfit for a garrison for Immanuel, and any of these will do. Yea these, for aught I know, may do it for us sooner than an army of twenty thousand men. Wherefore, to end as I began, my advice is, that we qui- etly withdraw ourselves, not offering any further force or forcible attempt upon the castle, at least at this time, and let us set on foot our new project, and let us see if that will not make them destroy themselves.*
This advice was highly applauded by them all, and
7 .f , , . was accounted the very master-piece of
l\,r S?ViCe hell, to wit, to choke Mansoul with a nafi/ilauded by ^^ of ^ worfdj and tQ WfWt her
heart with the good things thereof. But see how things meet together. Just as this Diabolonian council was broken up, Captain Credence received a let- ter from Immanuel, the contents of which were these : " That upon the third day he would meet him in the j. f field, in the plains about Mansoul." Meet
Anotejrom mfx ln thfi fi#>M , nf1nth thp cantain. What Immanuel.
me in the field ! quoth the captain. What meaneth my Lord by this ? I know not
• How rarely do men grow rich and prosperous without enter- taining those Diabolonians, profusion, prodigality, pride, &c. ! These are satan's best supporters, and more destructive to the aoul than an army of external foes.
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what he meaneth by meeting me in the field. So he took the note in his hand, and carried it to my lord sec- retary, to ask his thoughts thereupon (for my lord was a seer in all matters concerning the King, and also for the good and comfort of the town of Mansoul.) So he shew- ed my lord the note, and desired his opinion thereon : for my part, quoth Captain Credence, I know not the meaning thereof. So my lord read it, and after a little pause, he said, a The Diabolonians have had against Mansoul a great consultation to-day ; they have, I say, this day been contriving the utter ruin of the town ; and the result of their counsel is, to set Mansoul into such a way, which, if taken, will surely make her destroy her- self. And to this end they are making ready for their own departure out of the town, intending to betake themselves to the field again, and there to lie till they shall see whether this their project will take or no. But be thou ready with the men of thy Lord (for on the third day they will be in the plain) there to fall upon the Di- abolonians ; for the Prince will by that time be in the field ; yea, by that it is break of day, sun-rising, or be- fore, and that with a mighty force against them. So he shall be before them, and thou shalt be behind them, and betwixt you both their army shall be destroyed."
When Captain Credence heard this, away goes he to the rest of the captains, and tells them what a note he had a while since received from the hand of Immanuel. And, said he, that which was dark therein has my lord secretary expounded unto me. He told them more- over, what by himself and by them must be done to an- swer the mind of their Lord. Then were the captains The King's truvu B^ «"* Captain Credence command- peters command- c.d> *at a11 ,the KJr\ s trumpeters ed to ound from snou^ ascend on the battlements ox the castle ^ie casf-*e> anc* tnere in tne audience
of Diaboius, and of the whole town of Mansoul, make the best music that heart could invent. The trumpeters then did as they were commanded : they got themselves up to the top of the castle, and thus they began to sound. Then did Diaboius sun, and said, What can be the meaning of this ? they neither sound boot-and-saddle,nor horse-and-away,nora charge. What do these madmen mean, that yet they should be so mer-
262
ry and glad ? Then answered him one of themselves, and said, This is for joy that their Prince Immanuel is coming to relieve the town of Mansoul ; that to this end he is at the head of an army, and that this relief is near.*
The men of Mansoul also were greatly concerned at this melodious charm of the trumpets ; they said, yea, they answered one another, saying, This can be no harm to us ; surely this can be no harm to us- Then said the Diabolonians, What had we best to do ? And it was an- swered, It was best to quit the town ; and that, said one, ye may do in pursuance of your last counsel, and by so doing also he better able to give the enemy battle, should
n.~L i -,i an army from without come upon us. JDiabolus with- c /, , , - r, ,
draw f tl on second day they withdrew
town and h themselves from Mansoul, and abode in 5 ^" the plains without ; but they encamped
themselves before Eye-gate, in what terrene and terrible manner they could. The reason why they could not abide in the town (besides the reasons that were debated in their late conclave) was, for that they were not pos- sessed of the strong hold, and because, said they, we shall have more convenience to fight, and also to fly, if need be, when we are encamped in the open plain. Be- sides; the town would have been a pit for them, rather than a place of defence, had the Prince come up and in- closed them fast therein. Therefore they betook them- selves to the field, that they might also be out of the reach of the slings, by which they were much annoyed all the while they were in the town.
Well, the time that the captains were to fall upon the rph f. Diabolonians being come, they eagerly
j/ie .tme come prepared themselves for action; for
fr*lC,fh Captain Credence having told the cap-
tojight them. uins over.nightj tnat tney should meet
their Prince in the field to-morrow, was like oil to a flam- ing fire : for of a long time they had been at a distance ; they therefore were for this the more earnest and desirous of the work. So, as I said, the hour being
* The saints are kept by the power of God. How seasonably it this relief promised ! " In the mount it shall be seen." And noth- ing can so encourage us in our spiritual warfare a* the expectation •f the Lord's power and presence.
263
came, Captain Credence, with the rest of the men of T , war, drew out their forces before it was
ey ™ ^y Dy tnc saiiy.port 0f the town. And into the field. , : . J . , i, . r, ,
' being already, Captain Credence went
up to the head of the army, and gave to the rest of the captains the word, and they to the under officers and sol- diers, which wa3, " The sword of the Prince Immanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence 1" which is in the Mansoulian tongue, " The word of God and Faith " Then the captains fell on, and began roundly to front and flank and rear Diabolus's camp.*
Now they left Captain Experience in the town, be- cause he was ill of his wounds which the Diabolonians had given him in the last fight. But when he perceived that the captains were at it, what does he but, calling for his crutches in haste, gets up, and away he goes to the battle, saying, Shall I lay here when my brethren are in the fight, and when Immanuel the Prince will shew him- self in the field to his servants? But when the enemy saw the man come with his crutches, they were daunted yet the more, for, thought they, what spirit has posses- sed these Mansoulians, that they fight us upon their crutches ! Well, the captains, as I said, fell on, and bravely handled theirweapons, still crying out, and shout- ing as they laid on blows, " The sword of the Prince Im- manuel, and the shield of Captain Credence J"
Now when Diabolus saw that the captains were come out, and that so valiantly they surrounded his men, he concluded, that for the present nothing from them was to be looked for but blows, with the dints of their two- edged swords. Wherefore he also falls upon the Prince's
„,. . . army with all his deadly force. So the bat-
The battle A, J • • j x- i_ v .*•. ii» jJ
, tls was joined. Now who was it that at first
j me . Diabolus met with in the fight, but Captain
Credence on the one hand, and the Lord Will-be-will on the other ; now Will-be-will's blows were like the blows of a giant, for that man had a strong arm, and he fell in up- on the Election-doubters, for they were the life-guard of Diabolus, and he kept them in play a good while, cutting and battering shrewdly. Now when Captain Credence saw my lord engaged, he stoutly on the other hand fell
* "The word of Cod, and Faith." Theieare invincible weapons,
264
upon the same company also, so they put them to great disorder. Now Captain Good-hope had engaged the Vocation-doubters, and they were sturdy men ; but the captain was a valiant man : Captain Experience also sent him some aid ; for he made the Vocation-doubters retreat.* The rest of the armies were hotly engaged, and that on every side, and the Diabolonians fought stoutly. Then my lord secretary commanded that the slings from the castle should be played, and his men could throw stones at an hair's breadth. But after a while those that lied before the captains of the Prince be-
Th h ttl ^an to ra'^ aSa*n> anc* tney came UP stoutly
* ™d ° uPon tne rear of the Prince's army, where- lencise . ^ore t^e Prince's army began to faint ; but remembering they should see the face of their Prince by and by, they took courage, and a very fierce battle was fought. Then shouted the captains, saying, " The sword of the Prince Immanuel, and the shield of Captain Cre- dence 1" and with that Diabolus gave back, thinking that more aid had been come. But do Immanuel as yet
_,,-,. , . appeared. Moreover the battle hung They both retreat, ^oubt; and th made a UuIe p* and in the time of ^^ on both ^^ Nqw ^ tfae ^
respite ta/itam f . Captain Credence bravely
Credence makes a ^^ ^ men tQ gtand ^
speech to his sol- ^ Diabolus did the |ikCj as well as diers' he could. But Captain Credence
made a brave speech to his soldiers, the contents where- of here follow :
" Gentlemen soldiers, and my brethren in this design, it rejoiceth me much to see in the field, for our Prince this day, so stout and so valiant an army, and faithful lov- ers of Mansoul. You have hitherto, as hath become you, shewn yourselves men of truth and courage against the Diabolonian forces, so that for all their boast, they have not yet cause much to boast of their gettings. Now take to yourselves your wonted courage, and shew your- selves men, even this once only ; for in a few minutes after the next engagement this time, you shall see your
* There may be long and violent conflicts in tfie soul between doubts and faith ;— doubts, whether or not we are chosen, called, Sec. but faith shall at le»£th prevail, and satan, with his doubter*, retreat.
265
Prince shew himself in the field ; for we must make this second assault upon this tyrant Diabolus, and then Ira- nian uel comes.
No sooner had the captain made this speech to the , soldiers, but one Mr. Speedy came post to Immanuel s th approach an- ^ Immanue, was at hand, This ncws nouncec. when the captain had received, he com-
municated to the other field officers, and they again to their soldiers and men of war. Wherefore, like men raised from the dead, so the captains and their men arose; made up to the enemy, and cried as before, " the sword of the Prince Immanuel, and the shield of Cap- tain Credence 1"
The Diabolonians also bestirred themselves, and made resistance as well as they could, but in this last engage- ment they lost their courage, and many of the doubters fell down dead to the ground. Now when they had been in heat of battle about an hour or more, Captain Cre- dence lifted up his eyes and beheld Immanuel coming, and he came with colours flying, trumpets sounding, and the feet of his men scarce touched the ground, they hast- ed with that celerity towards the captains that were en- gaged. Then Captain Credence wheeled his men to the townward, and gave to Diabolus the field. So Imman- uel came upon him on the one side, and the enemies' place was betwixt them both ; then again they fell to it afresh, and a little while afterwards Immanuel and Cap- tain Credence met, still trampling down the slain as they came.
But when the captains saw that their Prince was come, and that he fell upon the Diabolonians on the other side, and that Captain Credence and his Highness had got them up betwixt them, they shouted (they so shouted, that the ground rent again,) saying, « manuel, and the shield of Captain Credence !" Now when Diabolus saw that he and his forces were so hard beset by the Prince and his princely army, what does he,
Diabolus and *?d U'e lord? of, U!e PU that weire with his lords make ' l make their escape, and forsake
their escafie lheir arm^ and Ieave lhem t0 fali hY the hand of Immanuel, and of his noble Cftp-
X
266
tain Credence ;* so they fell all down slain before them, before his Prince, and before his royal army ; there was not left so much as one doubter alive ; they lay spread upon the ground like dead men, as one would spread dung upon the land.
When the battle was over, all things came in order in the camp ; then the captains and elders of Mansoul came together to salute Immanuel, while without the corporation ; so they saluted him, and welcomed him, and that with a thousand welcomes, for that he was come to the borders of Mansoul again. So he smiled upon them, and said, " Peace be unto you." Then they addressed themselves to go to the town ; they went then to go up to Mansoul, they, the Prince, with all the new forces that now he had brought with him to the war. Al- so all the gates of the town were set open for his recep- tion, so glad were they of his blessed return. And this was the manner and order of his going into Mansoul.
First, as I said, all the gates of the town were set open, yea, the gates of the castle ; the elders too of the town of Mansoul placed themselves at the gates of the town, to salute him at his entrance thither : And so they did, for as he drew near and approached towards the gate, they
JmmanueVs en- saicU " lift UP ?0Ur heads> ° ?e Sates> . , ,, and be lift up ye everlasting doors, and
trance into the . v. rr/ ... & . ,, » A
r. nr the Kins; of crlory shall come in. And
town of Man- tW ^ *v„*} a^ft.„ u WhftU >hf> ****
toul.
they answered again, " Who is the King of glory ?" And they made return to
themselves, " The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord is mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors/' 8cc.
Secondly, it was ordered also by those of Mansoul, that all the way from the town-gates to those of the cas- tle, his blessed Majesty should be entertained with the song, by them that had best skill in music in all the town of Mansou4 ; then the elders, and the rest of the men of
* The presence of the Lord decides the contest. Doubts and fears cannot stand before the gracious manifestation of himself to the 60ul.
" But if Immanuel's face appear,
My hope, my joy begins ; His name forbids my slavish fear, His grace removes my sins."
267
Mansoul answered one another as Immanuel entered the town, till he came to the castle-gates, with songs and sound of trumpets,saying, " They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings of ray God, my King, in the sanctuary. So the singers went before, the players on instruments followed after, and among them were the damsels playing on timbrels."
Thirdly, then the captains (for I would speak a word forthem);in their order waited on the Prince as he enter- ed into the gates of Mansoul : Captain Credence went before, and Captain Good-hope with him ; Captain Char- ity came behind, with other of his companions, and Cap- tain Patience followed after ail, and the rest of the cap- tains, some on the right hand, and some on the left, ac- companied Immanuel into Mansoul. And all the while the colours were displayed, the trumpets sounded, and continual shoutings were among the soldiers. The Prince himself rode into the town in his armor, which was all of beaten gold : and in his chariot, the pillars of it were of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it was of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love for the daughters of the town of Mansoul.
Fourthly, when the Prince was come to the entrance of Mansoul, he found all the streets strewed with lilies and flowers, curiously decked with boughs and branches from the green trees, that stood round about the town. Every door also was filled with persons who had adorned every one their fore-part against their house with some- thing of variety and singular excellency to entertain him withal as he passed in the streets ; they also themselves, as Immanuel passed by, welcomed him with shouts and acclamations of joy, saying, " Blessed be the Prince that cometh in the name of his Father Shaddai."*
Fifthly, at the castle-gates the elders of Mansoul, to wit, my lord mayor, Lord Will -be- will, the subordin- Immanuel is ate Preacher> Mr- Knowledge, and Mr. we'eomed at Mind* Wlth other of lhe ge™ry of the place, the castle- saluted Immanuel again j they bowed be- „ates fc>re nim> they kissed the dust of his feet,
they thanked, they blessed and praised his highness for not taking advantage against them for their
* How gladly is Jesus received ! how delightful and welcome is his presence to the soul that has long been vexed with an army of
26*8
sins, but rather had pity upon them in their misery, and returned to them with mercies, and to build up their Mansoul for ever. Thus was he had up straitway to the castle ; for that was the royal palace, and the place where his honor was to dwell ; which was ready prepared for his highness by the presence of the lord secretary, and the work of Captain Credence. So he entered in.
Sixthly, then the people and commonalty of the town ofMansoul came to him into the castle to mourn, weep, and lament for their wickedness, by which they had forc- ed him out of the town. So they, when they were come, bowed themselves to the ground seven times, they also wept, they wept aloud, and asked forgiveness of the Prince, and prayed that he would again, as of old, con- firm his love to Mansoul.
To which the great Prince replied, " Weep not, but
T , e;o your way, eat the fat and drink the
Immaniiel com- •V ' - ■ ■ j ..■ .1 r
j. , . . , , sweet, and send portions to them for
forts the inhab- , , . . L , c . .
J. j. n/r whom nought is prepared, for, « the
Hants of Man- c t a - 1 Ix. > t
J joy ot your Lord is your strength. I
am returned to Mansoul with mercies,
and my name shall be set up, exalted and magnified by
it." He also took these inhabitants, and kissed them,
and laid them in his bosom.*
Moreover, he gave to the elders of Mansoul, and to each town-officer, a chain of gold and a signet. He al- so sent to their wives car-rings and jewels, and bracelets, and other things. He also bestowed upon the true-born children of Mansoul many precious things.
When Immanuel the Prince had done all these things for the famous town ofMansoul, then he said unto them, •4 First, wash your garments, then put on your ornaments, and then come to me into the castle ofMansoul," Eccles. ix. 8. So they went to the fountain that was set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in ; and there they washed and there they made their garments white, and came again to the Prince into the castle, and thus they
doubt* O let christians beware of sin and unbelief, which caused him to withdraw, and the doubts to enter. Well may the soul be humbled to the dust, in the recollection of its backsliding.
* " The joy of the Lord is our strength ;" when this is possessed there will be double diligence in searching out and destroying our *ins.
269
stood before him, Zech. xiii 1. Rev. vii. 14, 15.
And now there was music and dancing throughout the whole town of Mansoul : and that because their Prince had again granted to them his presence, and light of his countenance ; the bells also rung, and the sun shone comfortably upon them for a great while together. The town of Mansoul also now more thoroughly sought the destruction and ruin of all remaining Diabo- lonians that abode in the walls, and the dens (that they had in the town of Mansoul,) for there was of them that had to this day escaped with life and limb from the hand of their suppressors in the famous town of Mansoul.
But my Lord Will be-will was a greater terror to them now than ever he had been before,forasmuch as his heart was yet more fully bent to seek, contrive, and pursue them to the death ; he pursued them night and day, and put them now to sore distress, as will afterwards appear. After things were thus far put into order in the fa- q , . mous town of Mansoul, care was taken, c s given ^ order given by the blessed Prince Im- out to bury i .i? . u , ,, • ,
th d I manuel, that the townsmen should, with-
out further delay, appoint some to go forth into the plain to bury the dead that were there ; the dead that fell by the sword of Immanuel, and by the shield of Captain Credence, lest the fumes and ill- savors that would arise from them, might infect the air, and so an- noy the famous town of Mansoul. This also was a rea- son of this order, to wit, that as much as in Mansoul lay, they might cut off the name and being and remembrance of those enemies from the thought of the famous town of Mansoul and its inhabitants.
So order was given out by the lord mayor, that wise and trusty friends of the town of Mansoul, that persons should be employed about this necessary business j and Mr. Godly-fear, and one Mr. Upright, were to be over- seers about this matter ; so persons were put under them to work in the fields, and to bury the slain that lay dead in the plains. And these were their places of employ- ee burial of ment J some were to make the graves, the Diabolonian SOme were to bury the dead> and some doubters that were t0 S° t0 and fro in tI,e Plains> and had been slain. als0 round about the borders of Man- soul, to see if a skull or a bone, or a piece of a bone of a doubter, was yet to be found above
T2
270
ground any where near the corporation ; and if any were found, it was ordered that the searchers that searched should set up a mark thereby and a sign, that those that were appointed to bury them might find it, and bury it out of sight, that the name and remembrance of a Di- abolonian doubter might be blotted out from under hea- ven. And that the children and they that were to be born in Mansoul might not know (if possible) what a skull, what a bone, or a piece of a bone of a doubter was. So the buriers, and those that were appointed for that purpose, did as they were commanded ; they buried the doubters, and all skulls and bones, and pieces of bones of doubters, wherever they found them, and so they cleansed the plains. Now also Mr. God's-peace took up his commission, and acted again as in former days.
Thus they buried in the plains about Mansoul, the Election-Doubters, the Vocation-Doubters, the Grace Doubters, the Perseverance-Doubters, the Resurrec- tion-Doubters, the Salvation-Doubters, and the Glory- Doubters, whose captains were, Captain Rage, and Captain-Cruel, Captain Damnation, Captain Insatia- ble, Captain Brimstone, Captain Torment, Captain No- ease, Captain Sepulchre, and Captain Past-hope ; and old Incredulity was under Diabolus their general ; there were also the seven heads of their army, and they were- the Lord Beelzebub, the Lord Lucifer, the Lord Legion, the Lord Apollyon, the Lord Python, the Lord Cerberus, and the Lord Belial. But the princesand the captains,with old Incredulity their general, all made their escape ; so their men fell down upon the slain by the power of the Prince's forces, and by the hands of the men of the town of Mansoul. They also were buried, as is before relat- ed, to the exceeding great joy of the town of Mansoul x they that buried them, buried also with them their arms, which were cruel instruments of death (their weapons were arrows, darts, mauls, fire-brands, and the like ;) they buried also their armor, colours and banners, with the standard of Diabolus, and what else soever they could find that did but smell of a Diabolonian doubter.*
* Thus was the victory completed. All doubts of God's grace and lo%Te were utterly destroyed ; and pains were taken that, if possi- ble, the succeeding generation might never be plagued with the name of a doubter. The design of all this is to shew that doubt and
271 CHAP. XVII.
A new army of Blood -men, or Persecutors, attack the Toivn, but are surrounded by the Mansoulians, headed by Faith and Patience ...The examination of some of the Leaders.... Evil- questioning entertains some of the Doubters, but is discovered by Diligence. ... The firincifial Doubters tried, convicted, and executed.
NOW when the tyrant was arrived at Hellgate-hill, with bis old friend Incredulity, they immediately descended the den, and having there with their follow- ers for a while condoled their misfortune, and the great loss they sustained before the town of Mansoul, they fell at length into a passion, and revenged they would be for the loss that they sustained before the town of Man-
™, . , soul : wherefore they presently call a J he tyrant re- ., • r * , *\
. , , council to contrive yet iurther what was
solves to have . , . *. r c
, . .,, to be done against the iamous town of
yet a bout 'with , T . r B , . . ,
\j . Mansoul ; ior their yawning paunches
could not wait to see the result of their LordLucifer's and theirLordApollyon's counsel that they had given before, for their raging gorge thought eve^y day even as long as a short for-ever, until they were fill- ed with the body and soul, with the flesh and Sones, and with all the delicacies of Mansoul. They therefore re- solved to make another attempt upon the town of Man- soul, and that by an army mixed, and made up partly of doubters, and partly of blood-men. A more particular account now take of both.*
The doubters are such as have their name from their nature, as well as from the lord and kingdom where they
distress of the love of Christ, contrary to the declarations of his word, should be utterly suppressed, as being infinitely dishonora- ble to our faithful covenant God, and unspeakably pernicious to our own souls.
* By blood-men (or bloody-men, so called Psalm exxxix, 19,) the author seems to intend persecutors — men under the power of that Carnal mind which is enmity against God, and against his image in the soul of man. Here a new set of enemies arises, and may signi- fy that opposition to religion which, more or less, every christian must expect, for " they who live godly, in Christ Jesus, shall suifer persecution."
272
were bom ; their nature is to put a question upon every one of the truths of Iinmanuel, and their country is, the Descrihtirj Land of Doubting, and that land lieth off, of the Land anc* ^urt,iest re™ote to the north, between nfnnuhiino- tne Land of Darkness, and that called the ojuouotm&. valleyofthe Shadow of Death. For though the Land of Darkness, and that called the Land of the Shadow of Death, b» sometimes called as if they were one and the self-same place ; yet indeed they are two, lying but a little way asunder, and the Land of Doubting points in, and lieth between them. This is the Land of Doubting, and those that came with Diabolus to ruin the town of Mansoul, are the natives of that country.
The blood-men are a people that have their name de-
n, . „ /. rived from the malignity of their nature,
Character of , r . r ,8 .* , . '.
• , ,, , and from the fury that is m them to exe-
the blood-men, . , c . , , , .
cute it upon the town of Mansoul ; their
land lieth under the Dog-star, and by that they are gov- erned as to their intellectuals. The name of their coun- try is the province of Loath-good, the remote parts of it are far distant from the Land of Doubting, yet they do both butt and bound upon the hill called Hell-gate-hill. These people are always in league with the doubters, for they jointly make question of the faith and fidelity of the men of the town of Mansoul, and so are both alike qual- ified for the service of their prince.
Now of these two countries did Diabolus by the beat- ing of his drum raise another army against the town of Mansoul, of five-and-twenty thousand strong. There were ten thousand doubters, and fifteen thousand blood- men, and they were put under several captains for the war, and old Incredulity was again made general of the army.
As for the doubters, their captains were five of the sev- en that were heads of the last Diabolonian army, and these are their names : Captain Beelzebub. Captain Lu- cifer, Captain Apollyon, Captain Legion, and Captain Cerberus, and the captains that they had before were some of them made lieutenants, and some ensigns of the army
But Diabolus did not count that in this expedition of his, these doubters would prove his principal men, for their manhood had been tried before j also the Mansoul-
273
ians had put them to the worst, only he brought them to
multiply a number, and to help, if need was, at a pinch ;
but his trust he put in his blood-men, for that they were
all rugged villains, and he knew that they had done
feats heretofore.
As for the blood-men, they also were under command,
rp, . . ~ and the names of their captains were,
*& uij Captain Cain, Captain Nimrod, Captain
the blood-men. T / . ~ .' r „ . ■ K .
Ishmael, Captain Esau, Captain >>aul,
Captain Absalom, Captain Judas, and Captain Pope.
1. Captain Cain was over two bands, to wit, the Zeal- ous and the Angry blood-men : his Standard-bearer bore the red colours, and his scutcheon was the murdering club, Gen. iv. 8.
2. Captain Nimrod was captain over two bands, to wit, Their bands stan- the Tyrannical and Incroaching blood-
, , , , men ; his standard-bearer bore the
dard- bearers* and , , , ,. . ,
. red colours, and his scutcheon was
the great blood-hound, Gen. x. 8, 9.
3. Captain Ishmael was captain over two bands, to wit, over the Mocking and Scorning blood-men ; his standard-bearer bore the red colours, and his scutcheon was one mocking at Abraham's Isaac, Gen. xxi. 9, 10.
4. Captain Esau was captain over two bands, to wit, the blood-men that grudged that another should have the blessing ; also ever the blood-men that are for exe- cuting their private revenge upon others ; his standard- bearer bore the red colours, and his scutcheon was one privately lurking to murder Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 42, 43, 44, 45.
5. Captain Saul was captain over two bands, to wit, the Groundlessly Jealous and the Devilishly Furious blood-men ; his standard-bearer bore the red colours, and his scutcheon was three bloody darts cast at harm- less David, 1 Sam. xviii. 11
6. Captain Absalom wot captain over two bands, to wit, over the blood-men that will kill a father or a friend, for the glory of this world ; also over those blood men that hold one fair in hand wit'i#words, till they shail have pierced him with their swords ; his standard-bearer bore the red coiours, and his scutcheon was the son pursuing the father's blood, 2 Sam. xv. 13, 14. xvii. 16.
7. Captain Judas was over two bands, to wit, the
274
blood-men that will sell a man's life for money, and those also that will betray their friend with a kiss ; his stand- ard bearer bore the red colours, and his scutcheon was thirty pieces of silver, and the halter, Matt, xxvi, 14, 15, 16.
8. Captain Pope was captain over one band, for all these spirits are joined in one under him ; his standard- bearer bore the red colours, and his scutcheon was the stake, the flame, and the good man in it, Rev. xiii. 7, 8. Dan. xi. 33.*
Now the reason why Diabolus so soon rallied another force after he had been beaten out of the field, was, for that he put mighty confidence in this army of blood- men, for he put a great deal of more trust in them than he did before in his army of doubters, though they had al- so often done crreat service for him in the strengthening of him in his kingdom. But those blood-men he had of- ten proved, and their sword seldom returned empty. Besides, he knew that these, like mastiffs, would fasten upon any ; upon father, mother, brother, sister, prince, or governor, yea, upon the Prince of princes. And that which encouraged him the more was, for that they once forced Immanuel out of the kingdom of Universe ; and why, thought he, may they not drive him from the town of Mansoul ?t
So this army o? five-ami- twenty thousand strong, was
_ . _ . ,. by their eeneral the great lord Incredu- Lord Increduh- y ^ - .st the tQWn of MansouL
ty leads the army N£ ^ f ^ ^ gcout.mMteP.
oj blood-men. general> went out to Spr, and he brought
Mansoul tidings of their coming. Wherefore they shut
up their gates, and put themselves in a posture of de-
* The.names of some ancient persecutors and oppressors are here mentioned, beginning with Cain, the first blood-man, and ending widi his holiness of Rome, who has been, in these latter ages, the most bloody scourge of the true church of God.
f Diabolus, with no small cause, puts much confidence in bloody persecutors, for their rage has seldom been in vain. Though the true disciples of Christ have be* enabled to stand their ground ; a great multitude of professors become apostates through fear of death. Satan also well remembers that his Jewish blood-men pre- vailed (by divine permission) to force Immanuel himself out of the world. Incredulity is deservedly put at the head of this army.
275
fence against these new Diabolonians that came up against the town.
So Diabolus brought up his army, and beleaguered the town of Mansoul ; the doubters were placed about Feel- gate, and the blood-men set down before Eye-gate and Ear-gate.
Now when this army had thus encamped themselves, Incredulity, in the name of Diabolus, in his own name,
rr,, and in the name of the blood-men and
The town su?n- , .. . . -.i 1 •
, , T the rest that were with him, sent a
matted bxj Incre- , . , , ' •
... * summons as hot as a red hot iron to
uiy osurren- ]yjansou] to y\c\^ to their demands,
der to Diabolus. . . • / -r . -n . i
threatening, that n they still stood it out
against them, they would presently burn down Mansoul with fire. For you must know, that as for the blood- men, they were not so much that Mansoul should be surrendered, as that Mansoul should be destroyed, and cut off out of the land of the living. True, they sent to them to surrender; but should they so do, that would not quench the thirsts of these men : they must have blood, the blood of Mansoul, else they die ; and it is from hence that they have their name. Wherefore these blood-men he reserved while now, that they might, when all his engines proved ineffectual, as his last and sure card be played against the town of Mansoul, Psalm xxix. 10. Isa. lix. 7. Isa. xxii. 17.*
Now when the townsmen had received this red-hot summons, it begat in them at present some changing and interchanging thoughts ; but they jointly agreed in less than half an hour, to carry the summons to the Prince, which they did when they had writ at the bottom of it, Lord, save Mansoul from bloody men, Psal. lix. 2.
So lie took it and looked upon it, and considered it, and took notice also of that short petition that the men of Mansoul had written at the bottom of it, and called to him the noble Captain Credence, and bid him go and take Captain Patience with him, and go and take care of that side of Mansoul that was beleaguered by the
* Persecution will be satisfied with nothing less than the utter destruction of the christian. Even a surrender will not suffice, as some too-yielding professors have found to their cost ; witness good Archbishop Cranmer, who recanted through fear, and yet was put to death by the bloody Papists.
276
blood-men, Heb. vi. 12. ver. 15. So they went and did as they were commanded. Then Captain Credence went and took Captain Patience, and they both secured that side of Mansoul that was besieged by the blood-men.*
Then he commanded that Captain Good- hope and _ . . Captain Charity, and my Lord Will-be-
mn e groe* ^.-^ sj10U^ ta^e char^e of the ether side directions for c , . -P » ., . „ .
. ' j. of the town ; and I, said the Prince,
the security of .,, , \ , , ,
. . 3 J will set my standard upon the battle-
tht town. c J , * ,
ments ot your castle, and do you three
watch against the doubters. This dene, he again com- manded that the brave Captain Experience should draw up his men in the market-place, and that there also he should exercise them day by day before the people of the town of Mansoul. Now the siege was long, and many a fierce attempt did the enemy, especially those called blood-men, make upon the town of Mansoul, and many a shrewd brush did some with from them ; especially Captain Self-denial ; who, I should have told you before, was commanded to take the care of Ear-gate and Eye-gate now against the blood- men. This Captain Self-denial was a young man, but stout, and a townsman in Mansoul, as Captain Experi- ence also was ; and Immanuel, at his second return to Mansoul, made him a captain over a thousand of the Mansouiians, for the good of the corporation. This cap- tain therefore, being an hardy man, a man of great cour- age, and willing to venture himself for the good of the town of Mansoul, would now and then sally out upon the blood-men, and give them many notable alarms, and had several skirmishes with them, and also did some exe- cution upon them ; yet you must think that this couW not easily be done, but he must meet with brushes him- self, for he carried several of their marks in his face ; yea, and some in other parts of his body f
So after some time spent for the trial of the faith,
* It was through fuith and patience that the ancient believers in- herited the promises. These grace* therefore are judiciously op- posed to the persecutors, and nothing less will sustain die soul in the time of trial.
f A time of persecution loudly calls for the exercise of self-de- nial. When this prevails, the terrors of persecution are dimin- ished.
277
j j, hope, and love of the town of Man-
Immanuel fire- sQu^ the prince Immanuel „ a
fiares to give the ^ calu hig captains and men of war enemy battle, together, and divides them into two
ow te or eret companies; this done, he commands them at a time appointed, and that in the morning very early, to sally out upon the enemy ; saying, il Let half of you fall upon the doubters, and half of you fall upon the blood-men. Those of you that go out against the doubters, kill and slay, and cause to pe- rish so many of them as by any means you can lay hands on ; but for you that go out against the blood -men, slay them not, but take them alive."*
Accordingly at the time appointed, betimes in the morning, the captains went out as they were command- ed, against the enemies : Captain Good-hope, Captain Charity, and those that were joined with them, as Cap- tain Innocent, and Captain Experience, went out against the doubters ; and Captain Credence, and Captain Pa- tience, with Captain Self-denial, and the rest that were to join with them, went out against the blood-men.
Now those that went out against the doubters, drew up in a body before the plain, and marched on to bid them battle : but the doubters, remembering their last success, made a retreat, not daring to stand the shock, but fled from the prince's men ; wherefore they pursued them, and in their pursuit slew many, but they could not catch them all. Now those that escaped went some of them home ; and the rest, by fives, nines, and seven- teens, like wanderers, went straggling up and clown the country, where they showed and exercised many of their Diabolonian actions upon the barbarous people ; nor did these people rise up in arms against them, but suffered themselves to be enslaved by them. They would also after this shew themselves in companies before the town of Mansoul, but never to abide it ; for if Captain Cre- dence, Captain Good-hope, or Captain Experience did but shew themselves, they fled.
Those that were against the blood-men, did as they were commanded, they forbore to slay any, but sought
* Christianity forbids us to kill our persecutors ; on the contra- ry we vc to return good for evil.
Y
278
to compass them about. But the blood-men, when they
saw that no Immanuel was in the field, concluded also
that no Immanuel was in Mansoul ; wherefore they
looking upon what the captains did, to be, as they called
it, a fruit of the extravagancy of their wild and foolish
T ., fancies, rather despised than feared
Immanuel s .. ' ... K . ,. . .
cahtains sur- the™ ; but the caPtains minding their i *u u ~a business, at last compassed them round : round the blood' . . ^ . , . , * . * , .
„„„„ „„,i *„h tneY a'so that had routed the doubters, ?nen. ana take ' . . ., . . , n 7
*i,a.l *~i„r„a~« came in amain to their aid ; so in fine, them tins oners. c ... ■•••*■•_
alter some little struggling, (for the
biood-men also would have run for it, only now it was too late ; for though they are mischievous and cruel -where they can overcome, yet all blood-men are chick- en-hearted men, when they once come to see themselves matched and equalled,) so, I say, the captains took them, and brought them to the Prince.
Now when they were taken, had before the Prince, and examined, he found them to be of three several counties, though they all came out of one land.
1. One sort of them came out of Blindmanshire, and they were such as did ignorantly what they did. r™ . 2. Another sort of them came out of
+ Ae prisoners Blindzealshire, and they did supersti- exammed and f , ^ V j«j
... tiously what they did.
aescnoea. 3> The thh,d (j0|t of them came QUt of
the town of Malice, in the county of Envy, and they cid what they did out of spite and implacableness.*
For the first of these, to wit, they that came out of Blindmanshire, when they saw where they were, and against whom they had fought, trembled, and cried as they stood before him ; and as many of those as asked him mercy, he touched their lips with his golden scep- tre. .
They that came out of Blindzealshire did not as their fellows, for they pleaded that they had a right to do what they did, because Mansoul was a town whose laws and customs were diverse from all that dwelt thereabouts ;
* The spirit of persecution will be found to originate, either in a blind understanding, or superstitious zeal, or cruel malice and envy. To the two former Immanuel shewed mercy, as to Saul, who was once a bloody man ; but he obtained mercy because he did it igno- rtntly.
279
very few of these could be brought to see their evil, but those that did, and asked mercy, they also obtained favor.
Now they that came out of the town of Malice, that is in the county of Envy, they neither wept nor disputed, but stood gnawing of their tongues before him for an- guish and madness, because they could not have their will upon Mansoul. Now those last, with all those of the other two sorts that unfeignedly asked pardon for their faults ; those he made to enter into sufficient bond to answer for what they had done against Mansoul, and against her King, at the great and general assizes to be holden for our Lord th*e King, where he himself should appoint for the country and kingdom of Universe. So they became bound, each man for himself, to come in when called upon, to answer before our Lord the King for what they had done before.*
And thus much concerning this second army that was sent by Diabolus to overthrow Mansoul.
But there were three of those that came from the land
Three or four of Doubting> who> after thcy had
r. , » a, wandered and ranged the country
of the doubters , ., , • j .i . r , *
■ . n/r ~ i awhile, and perceived that they had
go into Mansoul, \ u i i_
s , , ■ 7 escaped, were so hardy as to thrust
are entertained. . l . ' , . f '
, , , themselves, knowing that yet there
and by whom. . *., * & ' J .
were in the town some who took part
with Diabolus, I say, they were so hardy as to thrust themselves into Mansoul among them. (Three, did I say ? I think there were four.) Now to whose house should these Diabolonian doubters go, but to the house of an old Diabolonian in Mansoul, whose name was Evil-questioning : a very great enemy he was to Mansoul, and a great doer among the Diabolonians there. Well, to this Evil-questioning's house, as was said, did these Diabolonians come (you may be sure that they had their directions how to find their way thi- ther,) so he made them welcome, pitied their misfor- tune, and succored them with the best that he had in his house. Now after a little acquaintance, and it was not long before they had that, this Evil-questioning ask-
* Malicious persecutors are bound over to appear at the great as- size, when these ungodly men shall be judged for all their ungodly deeds, and all their hard speeches against Christ in his members. — Jude 15.
280
ed the doubters if they were all of a town (he knew that they were all of one kingdom,) and they answered, No, nor of one shire neither ; for I, said one, am an elec- tion-doubter ; I, said another, am a vocation- doubter ; then said the third, I am a salvation-doubter; and the fourth said, he was a grace-doubter. Well, quoth the old gentleman, be of what shire you will, I am persuad- ed that you are town-boys, you have the very length of my foot, are one with my heait, and shall be welcome to me. So they thanked him, and were glad that they had found themselves an harbor in Mansoul. Then said Evil-' Talk betwixt questioning to them, How many of your ... companv might there be that came with
nd Id Evil- y0Ut0 thC Sie^e of Mansoul ? And they an- an o . T"" swered, there were but ten thousand doubt- ques wning. ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^g rest Qf tne armv con.
sisted of fifteen thousand blood-men ; these blood-men, quoth they, border upon our country ; but, poor men, we hear, they were every one taken by Immanuel's for- ces. Ten thousand ! quoth the old gentleman, I'll pro- mise you, that's a round company. But how came it to pass, since you were so mighty a number, that you fainted, and durst not fight your foes ? Our general, said they, was the first man that ran for it. Pray, quoth their landlord, who was that your cowardly general ? He was cnce the lord-mayor of Mansoul said they. But pray call him not a cowardly general, for whether any from the east to the west has done more service for our prince Diabolus than has my Lord Incredulity, will be a hard question for you to answer. But, had they catched him, they would for certain have hanged him, and we promise vou, hanging is but a bad business.*
Then said the old gentleman, I would that all the ten thousand doubters were now well armed in Mansoul, and myself at the head of them, I would see what I could do. Ah, said they, that would be well, if we could see that : but wishes, alas ! what are they I And these words were spoken aloud. Well, said old Evil-questioning, take heed that ye talk not too loud, you must be quiet and
* Doubt3 will return again and again, and while there is such a tfcing as evil-questioning in the heart, they will find a harbor there. Unbelief, however, was obliged to fly.
281
close» and must take care of yourselves while you are here, or I will assure you you will be snapped.
Why ? quotn the doubters.
Why ? quoth the old gentleman : why, because both the Prince and lord secretary and their captains and sol- diers, are all at present in town ; yea, the town is as full of them as it can hold. And besides, there is one whose name is Will-be-will, a most cruel enemy of our's, and him the Prince hath made keeper of the gates, and has commanded him, that with all the diligence he can, he should look for, search out, and destroy all and all manner of Diabolonians. And if he lighteth upon you, down you go, though your heads be made of gold.
And now, to see how it happened, one of the Lord
y,, Will-be-will's faithful soldiers, whose name
m. 6 j was Mr. Diligence, stood all the while lis- overheard. . , s ,, « .. . . ,
tening under old Evil-questioning s eaves,
and heard all the talk that had been betwixt him and the Doubters that he entertained under his roof. This sol- dier was a man that my lord had much confidence in, and that he loved dearly, and that both because he was a man of courage, and also a man that was unwearied in seeking after Diabolonians to apprehend them.*
Now this man, as I told you, heard all the talk that was between old Evil-questioning and these Diaboloni- ans ; wherefore, what does he, but goes to his lord, and tells him what he had heard. And sayest thou so, my trusty ? quoth my lord. Ay, quoth Diligence, that I do, and if your lordship will be pleased to go with me, you shall find it as I have said. And are they there ? quoth my lord. I know Evil-questioning well, for he and 1 were great at the time of our apostacy ; but I know not now where he dwells. But I do, said this man, and if your lordship will go, 1 will lead you the way to his den. Go ! quoth my lord, that I will. Gome, my Diligence, let us go find them out. So my lord and his man went toge* ther the direct way to his house. Now his man went be- fore to shew him the way, and they went till they came even under old Mr. Evil-questioning's wall. Then said Diligence, hark (my lord,) do you know the old gen- tleman's tongue when you hear it ? Yes, said my lord, I know it well, but I have not seen him many a day. This
* Diligence is of special use in detecting sin. 2 Pet. i, 10.
Y3
282
I know, he is cunning, I wish he may not give us the slip Let me alone for that, said his servant Diligence. But how shall we find the door? quoth my lord. Let me alone for that too, said his man So he' had my lord Will-be-will about, and shewed him the way to the door. Then my lord, without more ado, broke open the door, rushed into the , house, and caught them all five together, Then are ahhre even as DM&ence his man had told him. hendedand com- Su° my Iord apprehended them, and led mUtcd to/irison. ?e™ awa/' and c°mmitted them to the hand ot Mr. 1 rueman the gaoler, and he commanded, and put them in ward. This done, my lord mayor was acquainted in the morning with what my Lord Will-be-will had done over night,and his lordship rejoiced much at the news, not only because there were doubters apprehended, but because that old Evil-questioning was taken ; for he had been a very great trouble to Mansoul, and much affliction to my lord mayor himself. He had also been sought for often, but no hand could ever be laid upon him till now.
Well, the next thing was, to make preparations to try these five that by my lord had been apprehended, and that were in the hands of Mr. Trueman the gaoler. So
77 e are l^e da^ was set' and tlie court ca^ed anc* came , • y , together, and the prisoners brought to the
°/W^ / kar* My lord Will-be-will had power to have slain them when at first he took them, and that without any more ado, but he thought it at this time more for the honor of the Prince, the comfort of Man- soul, and the discouragement of the enemy, to bring them forth to public judgment. But I say, Mr. True- man brought them in chains to the bar, to the town-hall, for that was the place of judgment. So, to be short, the jury was pannelled, the witnesses sworn, and the prison- ers tried for their lives ; the jury was the same that tried Mr. No-truth, Pitiless, Haughty, and the rest of their companions.
And first, old Evil-questioning himself was set to the bar ; for he was the receiver, the entertainer, and com- forter of these doubters, that by nation were outlandish- men ; then he was bid to hearken to his charge, and was told that he had liberty to object, if he had aught to say for himself. So his indictment was read, the manner and form here follows :
283
" Mr. Questioning, thou art here indicted by the name of Evil-questioning, an intruder upon the town of Man- soul, for that thou art a Diabolonian by nature, and al- so a hater of the Prince Immanuel, and one that hast studied the ruin of Mansoul. Thou art also here indict- ed, for entertaining the King's enemies, after wholesome laws made to the contrary: For, 1. Thou hast ques- tioned the truth of her doctrine and state. 2. In wish- ing that ten thousand Doubters were in her: In recei- ving, entertaining, and encouraging of her enemies, that came from their army unto thee. What sayest thou to this indictment? art thou guilty, or not guilty ?"
My lord, quoth he, I know not the meaning of this in-
j, ., . dictment, forasmuch as I am not the
, . ,. * man concerned in it; the man that stan-
denies his name. , , . . . , ,, r ...
deth by this charge accused before this
bench, is called by the name of Evil-questioning, which name I deny to be mine, mine being Honest-inquiring.* The one indeed sounds like the other, but I trow, your lordships know that between these two there is a wide difference ; for I hope that a man, even in the worst of times, and that too amongst the worst of men, may make an honest inquiry after things, without running the dan- ger of death.
Then spake my Lord Will-be-will, for he was one of
L rd- Will be l^e w*tnesses : "My lord, and you the ... ... •" " honorable bench and magistrates of the
will a witness .. d r,, . & ,, , , .
against him vn Mansoul, you all have heard
* * with your ears, that the prisoner at the
bar has denied his name, and so thinks to shift from the charge of the indictment. But I know him to be the man concerned, and that his proper name is Evil-ques- tioning. I have known him, my lord, above these thir- ty years, for he and I (a shame it is for me to speak it) were great acquaintance, when Diabolus, that tyrant, had the government of Mansoul ; and I testify, that he is a Diabolonian by nature, an enemy to our Prince, and an hater of the blessed town of Mansoul. He has, in times of rebellion, been at, and lain in my house, my lord, not so little as twenty nights together, and we us-
* Evil-questioningdenies his name, and would fain pass for Hon- est-inqwry. So all the enemies of truth shelter themselves under the pretence of free-inquiry and free-thinking.
284
ed to talk then (for the substance of talk) as he and his doubters have taiked of late. True, I have not seen him many a day ; I suppose that the coming of Imman- uel to Mansoul has made him change his lodgings, as this indictment has dri* en him to change his name ; but this is the man, my lord."
Then said the court unto him, hast thou any more to say ?
Yes, quoth the old gentleman, that I have ; for all that has yet been said against me is but by the mouth of one witness; and it is not lawful for the famous town of Mansoul, at the mouth of one witness, to put any man to death.
Then stood forth Mr. Diligence, and said, " My lord, The evidence of as I was upon my watch such a night Mr Diligence at l a of bad-street, in this town,
another litnela. \ch^nc^ to hfaru a muttering within the gentleman's house ; then thought I, What's to do here ? So I went up close, but very softly to the side of the house to listen, thinking, as in- deed it fell out, that there I might light of some diabo- lonian conventicle. So, as I said, I drew nearer and nearer, and when I was got up close to the wall, it was but a while before I perceived that there were outlan- dish men in the house (but I understood their speech, for I have been a traveller myself;) now, hearing such language in such a tottering cottage this old gentleman dwelt in, I clapped mine ear to a hole in the window, and there heard them talk as followeth. This old Mr. Questioning asked these Doubters what they were, whence they came, and what was their business in these parts ? And they answered him to all these questions, yet he entertained them. He also asked what numbers there were of them ; and they told him, ten thousand men. He then asked them why they made no more man- ly assault upon Mansoul, and they told him. So he call- ed their general coward, formarching off when he should have fought for his prince. Further, this old Evil-ques- tioning wished, and I heard him wish, would ail the ten thousand Doubters were now in Mansoul, and himself at the head of them ! He bid them also take heed and lie quiet ; for if they were taken they must die, although they had heads of gold."
285
Then said the court, Mr. Evil-questioning, here is now another witness against you, and this testimony is full: 1. He swears that you received these men into your house, and that you nourished them there, though you knew that they were Diabolonians, and the King's enemies. 2. He swears that you wished ten thousand of them in Mansoul. 3. He swears that you gave them advice to be quiet and close, lest they were taken by the King's servants. All which manifesteth that thou art a Diabolonian ; but hadst thou been a friend to the King, thou wouldst have apprehended them.
Then said Evil-questioning, to the first of these I an-
_. ., ,. swer, the men that came into mine house
Evil- question- ' . T , .
i?itr sets uh a were stranSers> and l took them in; and . * J is it now become a crime in Mansoul for
ejtnce. a man to entertain strangers ? That I al-
so nourished them is true ; and why should my charity be blamed ? As for the reason why I wished ten thou- sand of them in Mansoul, I never told it to the witnesses, nor to themselves. I might wish them to be taken, and so my wish might mean well to Mansoul, for ought that any yet knows. I also bid them take heed that they fell not into the captain's hands, but that might be because I am unwilling that any man should be slain, and not because I would have the King's enemies, as such, es- cape.*
My lord mayor then replied, " that though it was a •virtue to entertain strangers, yet it was treason to en- tertain the King's enemies. And for what else thou hast said, thou dost by words but labour to evade, and defer the execution of judgment. But could there be no more proven against thee but that thou art a Diabolonian, thou must for that die the death of the law ; but to be a re- ceiver, a nourisher, a countenancer, and a harborer of others of them, yea, of outlandish Diabolonians ; yea, of them that came from far on purpose to cut off and de- stroy our Mansoul ; this must not be borne."
Then said Evil-questioning, I see how the game will go. I must die for my name, and for my charity. And so held his peace.
Then they called the outlandish doubters to the bar,
• He answers with much subtlety, and pretends to gr«at charity, but he is a true Diabolonian and ought to die,
285
Th t'l f an^tue first of them that was arraigned was
,/ P/2 the Election-doubter ; so his indictment
Mr. Election' , , , p , ,
, , was read, and because he was an outland-
ishmaii, the substance of it was told to him
by a interpreter; to wit, "that he was there charged
with being an enemy to Immanuel the Prince, a hater
of the town of Mansoul, and an opposer of her most
wholesome doctrine."
Then the judge asked him if he would plead ; but he said only this, " that he confessed that he was an Elec- tion-doubter, and that that was the religion that he had ever been brought up in. And said moreover, if I must die for my religion, I trow I shall die a martyr, and so I care the less."
Then the judge replied, to question election is to over- throw a great doctrine of the gospel ; to wit, the omnis- cience, and power, and will of God, to take away the liberty of God with his creature, to stumble the faith of the town of Mansoul, and to make salvation to depend upon works, and not upon grace. It also belyed the word, and disquieted the minds of the men of Mansoul, therefore by the best of laws he must die.* • Then was the Vocation-doubter called, and set to the
v ,„*• j a* har ; and his indictment for substance Vocation-doubt- ' , . . , , , ,
-« * * **, a was the same with the other, only he er set to the bar, . , , , ., , '.
was particularly charged with denying
the calling of Mansoul.
The judge asked him also what he had to say for him- self ?
So he replied, " that he never believed that there was any such thing as a distinct and powerful call of God to Mansoul, otherwise than by the general voice of the word, nor by that neither, otherwise than as it exhorted them to forbear evil, and to do that which is good, and in so doing a promise of happiness is annexed."
Then said the judge, thou art a Diabolonian, and hast denied a great part of one of the most experimental truths of the Prince of the town of Mansoul ; for he has called, and she has heard a most distinct and powerful call of her
* Those who deny election deny (though perhaps unwittingly) the omniscience and sovereignty of God, and unavoidably assert (sometimes without perceiving it) that, salvation is not of grace but of works.
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Immanuel, by which she has beeh quickened, awaken- ed, and possessed with heavenly grace to desire to have communion with her Prince, to serve him, and to do his will, and to look for her happiness merely of his good pleasure. And for thine abhorrence of this good doc- trine thou must die the death.*
Then the Grace-doubter was called, and his indict - n , , ment was read, and he replied thereto,
^race-doubter. ^ though he was of the land of Doubt- ing, his father was the offspring of a pharisee, and lived in good fashion among his neighbors, and that he taught them to believe (and believe I do and will) that Mansoul shall never be saved freely by grace.
Then said the judge, why, the law of the Prince is plain; negatively, " not of works :*' 2. Positively, "by grace you are saved," Rom. iii. Eph ii. And thy reli- gion settleth in and upon the works of the flesh; for the works of the law are the works of the flesh. Besides, in saying, " thou hast done," thou hast robbed God of his glory, and given it to a sinful man ; thou hast robbed Christ of the necessity of his undertaking, and the suffi- ciency thereof, and hast given both these to the works of the flesh. Thou hast despised the work of the Holy Ghost, and hast magnified the will of the flesh, and of the legal mind. Thou art a Diabolonian, the son of a Diabolonian ; and for thy diabolonian principles thou must die.f
The court then having proceeded thus far with them,
The firisoners SCnt OUt the JUry' who {brthwith brought are found zuil- them in guilty of death- Then stood UP tyandsavenc- th ed to de tl prisoners : You the prisoners at the bar, you have been here indicted, and proved guilty of high crimes against Immanuel our Prince, and against the welfare of the famous town of Mansoul : crimes for which you must be put to death ; and die ye accordingly.
* The enemies of effectual-calling by the influence of the holy Spirit are advocates for salvation by works — that dangerous leaven of the Pharisees.
f To insist upon salvation by works is utterly to deny grace ; for, as the apostle argues, Gal. ii. 21, " If righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain," and thus the grace of God is en- tirely frustrated.
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So they were sentenced to the death of the cross : the place assigned them for execution was that where Diab- olus drew up his last army against Mansoul ; save only that old Evil-questioning was hanged at the top of Bad- street, just over against his own door.*
CHAP. XVIII.
Mere Diabolonians tried and condemned. The Work' con- cludes with an admirable Speech of Immanuel to the In- habitants , in which he recites his gracious acts, and in- forms them that he intends to rebuild the Town in a more glorious manner, recommending, in the mean time, a suitable conduct.
WHEN the town of Mansoul had thus far rid them- selves of their enemies, and of the troublers of their peace, in the next place a strict commandment was given out, that yet my Lord Will-be-will should,
s • . . with Diligence his man, search for, and
Jl commission , , . v *? ■ , _i • „ 1A.
trranted to al - apprehend what town Dia-
firekend the D0^omans were vet ^^ a^ve in Mansoul. r tofth D The names of several of them were, Mr. JkniZ,:* *r Fooling, Mr. Let-good-slip, Mr. Slavish- aoo.omans. ^ Mf No-lovc> Mr# Mistrust) Mr. Flcshj
and Mr. Sloth. It was also commanded that he should apprehend Mr. Evil-questioning's children that he left behind him, that they should demolish his house there ; Mr. Doubt was his eldest son ; the next to him was Le» gal-life, Unbelief, Wrong-thoughts-of-Christ, Clip-prom- ise, Carnal-sense, Live-by-feel, Self-love. All these he had by one wife, and her name was No-hope, she was the kinswoman of old Incredulity, for he was her uncle, and when her father, old Dark, was dead, he took her and brought her up, and when she was marriageable, he gave her to this old Evil-questioning to wifeuf
* The author does not mean that persons maintaining these opin- ions ought to be put to death ; he designs only the death or de- struction of those pernicious errors, which, even as the lusts of the flesh, must be mortified.
f The names of these gentry will sufficiently show the nec.ess.itj pf destroying them ; they are all enemies to soul-prosperity.
289
Now the Lord Wilh>be-will put into execution his com- mission, with Great Diligence his man. He took Fool- ing in the streets, and hanged him up in Want-wit-alley, over against his own house. This Fooling was he that would have had the town of Mansoul deliver up Captain Credence into the hands of Diabolus, provided that then he would have withdrawn his force out of the town : he also took Mr. Let-good-slip one day as he was busy in the market, and executed him according to law. Now there was an honest poor man in Mansoul, and his name was Mr. Meditation, one of no great account in the days of apostacy ; but now of repute with the best of the town. This man therefore they were willing to prefer. Now Mr. Let-good-slip had a great deal of wealth heretofore m Mansoul, and at Immanuel's coming it was sequester- ed to the use of the Frince ; this therefore was now giv- en to Mr. Meditation to improve for the common good, :ier him to hW; son, Mr. Think-well ; this Think- he had by Mrs. Piety his wife, and she was the daughter of Mr. Recorder.*
After this my lord apprehended Clip-promise ; now
_,., . . " because he was a notorious villain (for Ciih -promise a/:- , K. , . , f
, , , M ■ , by nis doings much of the Kmrs com tirehevidcd, tried • *. A -_ „ * ° ,
. ■ , was abused,; therefore he was made a >ind convicted. ,,. y , TT ,
public example. He was arraigned,
and adjudged to be first set in the pillory, and then to be whipped by all the children and servants in Mansoul, and then to be hanged till he was dead. Some may won- der at the severity of this man's punishment, but they that are honest traders in Mansoul, are sensible of the great abuse that one clipper of promises in little time may do to the town of Mansoul. And truly my judgment is, that all those of his name and life should be served even as he.j He also apprehended Carnal-sense, and put him in
* Great is the advantage of meditation — a practice, alas ! in which Christians in general are too backward. And O how much is lost by letting the word slip, which ought to be laid up, and pondered in the heart. This is the way to become spiritually rich.
f To curtail or diminish the precinus promises, which are as val- uable to a spiritual life as the sterling coin of the kingdom to com- merce, is highly criminal.
290
Carnal-sense. ho]d ; but how lt came about l cann°t tell but he broke prison and made his escape. Yea, and the boid villain will not yet quit the town, but lurks in the diabolonian dens a^days, and haunts like a ghost honest men's houses a-nights. Wherefore there ■was a proclamation set up in the market-place in Man- soul, signifying, that whosoever could discover Carnal- sense, and apprehend him and slay him, should be ad- mitted daily to the Prince's table, and should be made keeper of the treasure of Mansoul. Many therefore bent themselves to do this thing ; but take him and slay him they could not, though he was often discovered. But my lord took Mr.Wrong-thoughts-of-Christ, and put him in prison, and he died of a lingering consumption.* Self-love was also taken and committed to custody, but
c 7/. , , . there were many that were allied to Self-love taken ,. . ,T , J , . . ,
. / , , , him in Mansoul, so his judgment was
into custody, and , c ■> i 1 i %« o ««• j ■ «
, ^ / Tijr deferred ; but at last Mr. belf-demal executed by Mr. , ' , . , .r .....
S If d 'I stood up and said, if such villains as
e j- enia . these may be winked at in Mansoul, I
will lay down my commission. He also took him from the crowd, and had him among his soldiers, and there he was brained. But some in Mansoul muttered at it, though none durst speak plainly, because Immanuelwas in the town. But this brave act of Captain Self-denial came to the Prince's ears, so he sent for him, and made him a lord in Mansoul. My lord Will-be-will also ob- tained great commendations of Immanuel for what he had done for the town of Mansoul.
Then my Lord Self-denial took courage, and set to the pursuing of the Diabolonians with my LorciWill-be-will; and they took Live-by-feeling, and they took Legal-life, and put them in hold till they died. But Mr. Unbelief was a nimble jack, him they could never lay hold of, though they attempted to do it often. He therefore, and some few more of the subtlest of the Diabolonian tribe, yet remained in Mansoul, to the time that Mansoul left off to dwell any longer in the kingdom of Universe. But
* Carnality, seated in the corporal senses, is a bitter enemy, and very difficult to be detected and destroyed. The holiest believer may Bay, with St. Paul, " I am (comparatively) carnal.'* But "wrong thoughts of Christ," which are also singularly injurious, will grad- ually decline in the heart of a true believer.
291
they kept them to their dens and holes ; if one of them appeared, or happened to be seen in any of the streets of the town of Mansoul, the whole town would be up in arms after them, yea, the very children in Mansoul would cry out after them as after a thief, would wish that they might stone them to death with stones. And now Man- soul arrived to some good degree of peace and quiet, her Prince also abode within her borders, her captains also, and her soldiers did their duties, and Mansoul mind- ed her trade that she had with the country afar off; also she was busy in her manufacture. Isa. xxxiii. 17. Phil, iii. 20. Prov. xxx. 10, Sec*
When the town of Mansoul had thus far rid themselves of so many of their enemies, and the troublers of their peace, the Prince sent to them, and appointed a day wherein he would meet the whole people at the market- place, and there give them in charge concerning the fu- ture matters, that, if observed, would tend to their far- ther safety and comfort, and to the condemnation and destruction of their home-bred Diabolonians. So the day appointed was come, and the townsmen met together. Immanuel also came down in his chariot, and all his captains in their state attending of him on the right-hand, and on the left. Then was an O yes made for silence, and, after some mutual carriages of love, the Prince be- gan, and thus proceeded :
11 You, my Mansoul, and the beloved of mine heart,
., many and great are the privileges that I Immanuel s haye bestowed upon you . j have singled
*£f ec °j you out from others, and have chosen you i ansout. tQ j^yggjf^ not for yol]r worthiness, but
for mine own sake. I have also redeemed you, not on- ly from the dread of my Father's law, but from the hand of Diabolus. This I have done because I loved you, and because I have set my heart upon you to do you good. I have also, that all things that might hinder thy way to the pleasures of paradise might be* taken out of the way,
♦Self-denial must be opposed to self-love. " If, ■ through the Spirit, we mortify the deeds of the body we shall live,'' and shall also happily experience, that " to be spiritually-minded is life and peace." But, after all, that villain, Unbelief, the worst of all the gang, still lurks secretly in the soul, yet is uniformly opposed whenever he dares to appear.
292
iaid down for thee, for thy soul, a plenary satisfaction, and have bought thee for myself; a price not of corrupt- ible things, as of silver and gold, but a price of blood, mine own blood, which I have freely spilt upon the ground to make thee mine. So I have reconciled thee,
0 my Mansoul, to my Father, and intrusted thee in the mansion-houses that are with my Father in the royal city, where things are, O my Mansoul, that eye hath not seen, nor hath entered into the heart of man to con- ceive.
" Besides, O my Mansoul, thou seest what I have T „ done, and how I have taken thee out of
. the nana ot thine enemies ; unto whom
^Mansoul ° thou hast deeply revolted from my Father, and by whom thou wast content to be pos- sessed, and also to be destroyed. I came to thee first by my law, then by my gospel, to awaken thee and shew thee my glory. And thou knowest what thou wast, what thou saidstj what thou didst, and how many times thou rebelledst against my Father and me ; yet I left thee not, as thou seest this day, but came to thee, have borne thy manners, have waited upon thee, and, after all, accept- ed of thee even of my mere grace and favor; and would not suffer thee to be lost, as thou most willingly wouldst have been. I also compassed thee about, afflicted thee on every side, that I might make thee weary of thy ways, and bring down thy heart with molestation to a willing- ness to close with thy good and happiness. And when
1 had gotten a complete conquest over thee, I turned it to thy advantage.
" Thou seest also what a company of my Father's host I have lodged within thy borders, captains, and rulers, soldiers, men of war, engines, and excellent devices, to subdue and bring down thy foes ; thou knowest my meaning, O Mansoul. And they are my servants, and tfcine too, Mansoul. Yea, my design of possessing of thee with them, and the natural tendency of each of them, is to defend, purge, strengthen, and sweeten thee for myself, O Mansoul, and to make thee meet for my Fa- ther's presence, blessing, and glory ; for thou, my Man- soul, art created to be prepared unto these.
«« Thou seest moreover, my Mansoul, how I have
293
, passed by thy backslidings, and have Mansoul saved heftled ^^ Indced i was angry with from her ene- ^^ buJ. j baye turned away myan- mtes by Imman- and mine indignation is ceaSed in
ueUfioiverand ihQ destruction Gf thine enemies, O ™ercy. Mansoul. Nor did thy goodness fetch
me again unto thee, after that I for thy transgressions had hid my face, and withdrawn my presence from thee. The way of backsliding was thine, but the way and means of recovery was mine. I invented the means of thy re- turn ; it was I that made an hedge and a wall, when thou wast beginning to turn to things in which I delighted not. It was I that made thy sweet bitter, thy day night, thy smooth way thorny, and that also confounded all that sought thy destruction. It was I that set Mr. God- ly-fear to work in Mansoul. It was I that stirred up thy conscience and understanding, thy will and thy affections, after thy great and woful decay. It was I that put life into thee, O Mansoul, to seek me that thou mightest find me, and in thy finding, find thine own health, hap- piness, and salvation. It was I that fetched the second time the Diabolonians out of Mansoul ; it was I that over- came them, and that destroyed them before thy face.
" And now, my Mansoul, I am returned to thee in peace, and thy transgressions against me -are as if they had not been. Nor shall it be with thee as in former days, but I will do better for thee than at thy beginning. For yet a little while, O my Mansoul, even after a few more times are gone over thy head, I will (but be not thou troubled at what I say) take down this famous town The death of °^ ^ansou^ stick and stone, to the ground. the body. And * wil1 can7 the stories thereof, and
the timber thereof, and the walls thereof, and the dust thereof, and inhabitants thereof, into mine The resurrec- °Wn C0UntlT» even into the kingdom of Hon unto life my Fatlier » and ^11 there set it up in such eternal. strength and glory as it never did see in
the kingdom where now it is placed. I will even there set it up for my Father's habitation, be- cause for that purpose it was at first erected in the king- dom of Universe ; and there will I make it a spectacle of wonder, a monument of mercy. There shall the na- tives of Mansoul see all that of which they have seen no-
Z 2
2S4
thing here ; there shall they be equal to those unto whom they have been inferior here. And there shalt thou, O my Mansoul, have such communion with me, with my Father, and with your lord secretary, as is not possible here to be enjoyed, nor ever could be, shouldst thou live in Universe the space of a thousand years.
" There, O my Mansoul, thou shalt be afraid of mur- derers no more ; of Diabolonians no more. There shali be no more plots, nor contrivances, nor designs against thee, O my Mansoul. There thou shalt no more hear evil tidings, or the noise of the Diabolonian drum. All shall be There tnou shalt not see the Diabolonian Iieace and standai'd*bearers, no1' >*et behold Diabolus" hafifriness in standard. No Diabolonian mount shall be heaven % cast UP a?ainst tnes there, nor shali there the Diabolonian standard be set up to make thee afraid. There thou shalt meet with no sorrow nor grief, nor shall it be possible that any Diabolonian should again (for ever) be able to creep into thy skirts, burrow in thy walls, or be seen within thy borders all the days of eternity. Life shall there last longer than here you are able to desire it should, and yet it shall aiways be sweet and new, nor shali any impediment attend it for ever.
" There, O Mansoul, thou shalt meet with many of those that have been like thee, and that have been par- takers of thy sorrows ; even such as I have chosen and redeemed, and set apart, as thou, for my Father's court and city royal. All they will be glad in thee.; and thou, when thou seest them, shalt be glad in thine heart.
" There are things, O Mansoul, even things of thy Father's providing and mine, that never were since the beginning of the world, and they are laid up with my Father, and sealed up among his treasures for thee, till thou shalt come thither to them. I told you before that I would remove my Mansoul, and set it up elsewhere ; and where I will set it, there are those that love thee, and those that rejoice in thee now, but much more when they see thee exalted to honor. My Father will then send them for you to fetch you ; and their bosoms are chariots to put you in. And thou, O my Mansoul, shalt ride upon the wings of the wind, Psal. Ixviii. 17. They will come to conyey, conduct, and bring you to that,
295
when your eyes see more, that will be your desired ha- ven.
" And thus, O my Man soul, I have shewed unto thee, what shall be done to thee hereafter, if thou canst un- derstand ; and now I will tell thee what at present must be thy duty and practice, until I shall come and fetch thee to myself, according as is related in the scriptures of truth.
" First, I charge thee that thou dost hereafter keep more white and clean the liveries which I gave thee be- fore my last withdrawing from thee. Do it, I say, for this will be thy wisdom. They are in themselves fine
,. ,, linen, but thou must keep them white
sine hnen^ the , , r^, • •,, , r - • ,
. ,, and clean. This will be your wisdom,
righteousness , , .,, , J . f '
of the saints y0Ur honor' and wl11 be SreatIy for mX J '' glory. When your garments are white,
the world will count you mine. Also, when your gar- ments are white, then I am delighted in your ways ; for then your goings to and fro will be like a flash of light- ning, that those that are present must take notice of, al- so their eyes will be made to dazzle thereat. Deck thy- self therefore according to my bidding, and make thy- self by my law straight steps for thy feet, so shall thy King greatly desire thy beauty, for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.
" Now that thou mayst keep them as I bid thee, I have} as I before told thee, provided for thee an open foun- tain to wash thy garments in. Look therefore that thou wash often in my fountain, and go not in defiled gar- ments ; for as k is to my dishonor, and my disgrace, so it will be to thy discomfort, when you shall walk in fil- thy garments, Zech. iii. 3, 4. Let not therefore my Purity of life garments> >'our garments, the garments recommended. J"1 %* veT th™> be defiled or spotted by the flesh, Jude, ver. 23. Keep thy gar- ments always white, and let thy head lack no ointment.
" My Mansoul, I have oft-times delivered thee from the designs, plots, attempts, and conspiracies of Diabo- lus, and for all this I ask thee nothing, but that thou render not to me evil for my good, but that thou bear in mind my love, and the continuation of my kindness to my beloved Mansoul, so as to provoke thee to walk, in thy measure, according to the benefit bestowed on thee.
296
Of old the sacrifices were bound with cords to the horns of the golden altar. Consider what is said to thee, O my blessed Mansoul.
" O my Mansoul, I have lived, I have died ; I live, and will die no more for thee ; I live, that thou mayest not die. Because I live, thou shalt live also. I recon- ciled thee to my Father by the blood of my cross, and being reconciled thou shalt live through me. I will pray for thee, I will fight for thee, I will yet do thee good.
" Nothing can hurt thee but sin, nothing can grieve
*• // v r~*nt me Dut sm '■> nothing can make thee base Sin their great before thy foeg but ^ . Take heed of
enemy. ^ my MansouL
" And dost thou know why I at first, and do still suf- fer Diabolonians to dwell within thy walls, O Mansoul ? It is to keep thee waiting, to try thy love, to make thee watchful, and to cause thee yet to prize my noble cap- tains, their soldiers, and my mercy.
" It is also that yet thou mayest be made to remember what a deplorable condition thou once wast in, I mean when, not some, but all did dwell, not in thy wall, but in thy castle, and in thy strong hold, O Mansoul.
" O my Mansoul, should I slay all them within, many
TV . . there be without that would bring thee
Hatc/ijulness intQ bondage . for were all these witnin ■recommended. cm offj those wilhout would find thee
sleeping, and then as in a moment they would swallow up my Mansoul. I therefore left them in thee, not to do thee hurt (the which they yet will, if thou hearken to them, and serve them,) but to do thee good, the which they must, if thou watch and fight against them. Know therefore, that whatever they shall tempt thee to, my design is, that they should drive thee, not further off, but nearer to my Father, to learn thee war, to make pe- titioning desirable to thee, and to make thee little in thy own eyes. Hearken diligently to this, my Mansoul.
" Shew me then thy love, my Mansoul, and let not those that are within thy walls, take thy affections off from him that hath redeemed thy soul. Yea, let the sight of a Diabclcnian heighten thy love to me. I came once, and twice, and thrice, to save tkee from the poi- son of those arrows that would have wrought thy death ; stand for me, my friend, my Mansoul, against the Dia-
297
bolonians, and I will stand for thee before my Father, and all his court. Love me against temptation ; and I will love thee, notwithstanding thine infirmities.
" O my Mansoul, remember what my captains, my soldiers, and mine engines have done for thee. They have fought for thee, they have borne much at thy hands to do thee good, O Mansoul. Hadst thou not had them to help thee, Diabolus had certainly made a hand of thee. Nourish them therefore, my Mansoul. When thou dost well, they will be well ; when thou dost ill, they will be ill, and sick and weak. Make not my cap- tains sick, O Mansoul ; for if they be sick, thou canst not be well ; if they be weak, thou canst not be strong ; n/r t . . if they be faint, thou canst not be stout
.. , , and valiant for thy King, O Mansoul.
lVG i^ *• n j Nor must thou think always to live by
word of Croa. , ,. /
J sense, thou must live upon my word.
Thou must believe, O my Mansoul, when I am for thee, that yet I love and bear thee upon mine heart for ever.
" Remember therefore, O my Mansoul, that thou art beloved of me ; as I have therefore taught thee to watch, • to fight, to pray, and to make war against my foes, so now I command thee to believe that my love is constant to thee. O my Mansoul, now have I set my heart, my love upon thee, watch : *' Behold I lay none other bur- den upon thee, than what thou hast already, hold fast till I come," Rev. ii. 24, 25. "*
* In this sweet and truly evangelical speech, the dear Lord Jesus is represented as making a recapitulation of his gracious dealings with the souls of his people. Salvation is uniformly ascribed to the free mercy of the Father, and the precious blood of the Son. Every gracious soul will cordially say, not unto me, not unto me, O Lord, but to thy name be all the glory.
Immanuel then informs them of his intention to take doAvn the present town of Mansoul, and to rebuild it in a more glorious man- ner ; in other words, to remove the believer to priory, and raise up his mortal body to everlasting honor and happiness, when sin, sorrow, and temptation shall never more be known.
Till this event takes place, he directs his people to keep their garments white and clean — that is, to be holy in all manner of con- versation and godliness ; to watch carefully against sin, which is the only thing that can hurt them, and to live every day by faith in the word of God.
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Thus hare we followed the ingenious and judicious author through this truly excellent work, making use of his own margin- al key to unlock the curious cabinet, and expose the valuable con- tents. May every reader be found among those who are restored by grace to the kingdom of Immanuel, and who, having overcome, shall sit down with him on his throne of glory. To Him, even to the Lamb that was slain, who hath redeemed us to God by his blood ; to Him be glory, in all the churches, world without end. — Amen.
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