Now

So the town of Mansoul slew them, according to the word of their Prince: but when the prisoners were brought to the Cross to die, you can hardly believe what troublesome work Mansoul had of it to put the Diabolonians to death; for the men knowing that they must die, and all of them having implacable enmity in their heart to Mansoul, what did they do but take courage at the Cross, and there resist the men of the town of ManSoul? Wherefore the men of Mansoul were forced to cry out for help to the captains and men of war. the great Shaddai had a secretary in the town, and he was a great lover of the men of Mansoul, and he was at the place of execution also; so he hearing the men of Mansoul cry out against the strugglings and unruliness of the prisoners, rose up from his place, and came upon the hands of the men of Mansoul.* So they crucified the Diabolonians that had been a plague, a grief and an offence to the town of Mansoul, Rom. viii. 13.

Now when this good work was done, the Prince came down to see, to visit, to speak comfortably to the men of Mansoul, and to strengthen their hands in such work. And he said to them, that by this act of theirs he had proved them, and found them to be lovers of his person, observers of his laws, and such as had also respect to his honour. He said moreover (to shew them that they by this should not be losers, nor the town of Mansoul weakened by the loss of the:n) that he would make them another captain, and that of one of themselves; and this captain should be the ruler of a thousand, for the good and benefit of the now flourishing town of Mansoul.

So he called one to him whose name was Waiting, and said to him, Go quickly up to the castle-gate, and inquire there for one Mr. Experience, that waiteth upon that noble captain, the captain Credence, and bid him

come hither to me.

So the messenger that waited upon

the

* Sin can only be completely conquered by the influence of divine wisdom and human understanding.

the good prince Emanuel, went and said as he was commanded. Now the young gentleman was waiting to see the captain train and muster his men in the castleyard. Then said Mr. Waiting to him, Sir, the Prince would that you should come down to his Highness forthwith. So he brought him down to Emanuel, and he came and made obeisance before him. Now the men of the town knew Mr. Experience well, for he was born and bred in Mansoul; they also knew him to be a nian of conduct, of valour, and a person prudent in matters; he was also a comely person, well spoken, and very successful in his undertakings.

Wherefore the hearts of the townsmen were transported with joy when they saw that the Prince himself was so taken with Mr. Experience, that he needs would make him a captain.

So with one consent they bowed the knee before Emanuel, and with a shout said, Let Emanuel live for ever! Then said the Prince to the young gentleman whose name was Mr. Experience, I have thought good to confer upon thee a place of trust and honour,* in this my town of Mansoul (then the young man bowed his head and worshipped): it is, said Emanuel, that thou shouldest be a captain, a captain over a thousand men in my beloved town of Mansoul. Then said the captain, Let the King live! So the Prince gave orders forthwith to the King's secretary, that he should draw up for Mr. Experience a commission to make him a captain over a thousand men; and let it be brought to me, said he, that I may set to my seal. So it was done as commanded. The commission was drawn up, brought to Emanuel, and he set his seal thereto. Then by the hand of Mr. Waiting, he sent it away to the captain.

Now so soon as the captain had received his commission, he sounded his trumpet for volunteers, and young

*Experience is, a conviction, by the word and Spirit of revelation, of our insufficiency, and Christ's all-sufficiency, an insight into gos pel mysteries; God's veracity, faithfulness, immutability, &c.

young men came apace; yea, the greatest and chief men in the town sent their sons to be listed under his command. Thus captain Experience came under command to Emanuel, for the good of Mansoul. He had for his lieutenant one Mr. Skilful, and for his cornet one Mr. Memory. His under-officers I need not name; 1 Sam. xvii. 36, 37. His colours were the White colours, for the town of Mansoul; and the escutcheon was the dead lion and the dead bear. So the Prince returned to his royal palace again.

Now when he was returned thither, the elders of the town of Mansoul, to wit, my lord-mayor, the recorder, and the lord Will-be-will, went to congratulate him, and in special way to thank him for his love, care, and the tender compassion which he shewed to his everobliged town of Mansoul. So after a while, and some sweet communion between them, the townsmen, having solemnly ended their ceremony, returned to their place again.

Emanuel also appointed them a day wherein he would renew their charter,* yea, wherein he would renew and enlarge it, mending several faults therein, that Mansoul's yoke might yet be more easy, Heb. viii. 13. Mat. xi. and this he did without any desire of theirs, even of his own frankness and noble mind. So when he had sent for and seen their old one, he laid it by, and said, "Now that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away." He said moreover, The town of Mansoul shall have another, and a better. An epitome whereof take as follows:

"I Emanuel, Prince of peace, and a great lover of the town of Mansoul, do, in the name of my Father, and of my own clemency, give, grant, and bequeath to my beloved town of Mansoul.

"First, Free and full forgiveness of all wrongs, injuries, and offences, done by them against my Father,

me,

* Thus is shewn the great mercy and love of God; and this may serve to convince mankind, that our happiness depends in a great measure, on our moral virtue, without which, in this life, all would be anarchy and confusion.

me, their neighbours, or themselves, Heb. viii. John

xvii. 8, 14.

"Secondly, I do give them the holy law, and my testament, with all therein contained, for their everlasting comfort and consolation, 2 Pet. i. 4. 2 Cor. vi. 1. 1 John i. 16.

"Thirdly, I do also give them a portion of the selfsame grace and goodness that dwells in my Father's heart and mine.

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Fourthly, I do give, grant, and bestow upon them freely, the world, and what is therein, for their good, 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22. And they shall have that power over it, as shall stand with the honour of my Father, my glory, and their comfort, yea, I grant them the benefits of life and death, and of things present and things to come. This privilege, no other city, town, or corporation shall have, but Mansoul only.

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Fifthly, I do give and grant them leave, and free access to me in my palace at all seasons, and there to make known their wants to me; and I give them moreover a promise, that I will hear and redress all their grievances, Heb. x. 19, 20. Matt. vii. 7.

"Sixthly, I do give, grant to, and invest the town of Mansoul with, full power and authority to seek out, take, enslave, and destroy, all and all manner of Diabolonians, that at any time, from whence soever, shall be found straggling in or about the town of Mansoul.

Seventhly, I do further grant to my beloved town of Mansoul, that they shall have authority not to suffer any foreigner or stranger, or their seed, to be free in and of the blessed town of Mansoul, nor to share in the excellent privileges thereof: but that all the grants, privileges, and immunities, that I besow upon the famous town of Mansoul, shall be for these old natives, and true inhabitants thereof; to them, I say, and to their right seed after them, Eph. iv. 22. Col. iii. 5-9. But all Diabolonians, of what sort, birth, country, or kingdom soever, shall be debarred a share therein."

Se

So when the town of Mansoul had recived their gracious charter (which in itself is infinitely more large) they carried it to Audience, that is, to the market place, and there Mr. Recorder read it in the presence of all the people, 2 Cor. iii. 5. Jer. xxxi. 33. Heb. viii. 10. This being done, it was had back to the castle-gates, and there fairly engraven upon the doors thereof, and laid in letters of gold, to the end that the town of Mansoul, with all the people thereof, might have it always in their view, or might go where they might see what a blessed freedom their Prince had bestowed upon them, that their joy might be increased in themselves, and their love renewed to their great and good Emanuel.

But what joy, what comfort, what consolation, think you, did now possess the hearts of the men of Mansoul! The bells rung, the minstrels played, the people danced, the captains shouted, the colours waved in the wind, the silver trumpets sounded, and all the Diabolonians now were glad to hide their heads.*

When this was over, the Prince sent for the elders of Mansoul, and communed with them about a ministry he intended to establish among them; such a ministry, that might open unto them, and instruct them in the things that concerned their present and future state; for, said he, you, of yourselves, unless you have teachers. and guides, will not be able to know, and, if not to know, to be sure not to do, the will of my Father, Jer. x. 24. 1 Cor. ii. 14.

At this news, when the elders of Mansoul brought it to the people, the whole town came running together (for it pleased them well, as whatever the Prince now did, pleased the people) and all with one consent implored his Majesty, that he would forthwith establish such

* Thus we are shewn that when heavenly affections take place in the heart, the power of Beelzebub is at an end, and the devil himself is put to flight.

Mr. Bunyan here represents the necessity of preaching and ex pounding the word.