"Nay, we shall, encourage you in the profundity of your craft, let you know, that at a full assembly and conclave 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 proper way, by all their wits could not be invented, to surprize, 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, furious, and unmerciful Diabolus, is raising for your relief, and the ruin of the rebellious town of Mansoul, more than twenty thousand Doubters to come against that people. They are all stout and sturdy men, and men that of old have been accustomed 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 to 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.

For thus it is concluded with us, that the more

vile,

* Disbelief of God's word, power, truth, faithfulness, and love, is as dangerous an enemy as a human being can have to encounter. May the Lord arm us with the shield of faith, and sword of his Spirit, to subdue them!

મનસુ

vile, sinful, and debauched the town of Mansoul is, the more backward will their Emanuel 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 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, though at present some of us think, as you, that a market-day, or a market-day at night, will certainly be the best, However, do you be ready, and when you shall hear our 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 success for your doing, as we ourselves at present enjoy for our's.

"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 lettercarrier, Mr. Profane."

Then Mr. Profane addressed himself for his return to Mansoul, with his errand from the horrible pit to the Diabolonians

* Such is the deceit of man's heart, that little sins lead to greater, that God hides his face, peace of conscience is destroyed for a season, and the enemy prevails.

Diabolonians that dwelt in that town. So he came up the stairs from the deep to the mouth of the cave where Cerberus was. Now when Cerberus saw him, he asked how matters went below, about, and against the town of Mansoul.

Profane. Things go as well as we can expect. The letter that I carried thither was highly approved, and well liked by all my lords, and I am returning to tell our Diabolonians so. I have an answer to it here in my bosom, that I am sure will make our masters that sent me, glad; for the contents thereof are to encourage them to pursue their design to the utmost, and to be ready also to fall on within, when they shall see my lord Diabolus beleaguering of the town of Mansoul.

Cerberus. But does he intend to go against them himself?

Profane. Does he? Aye, 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 valour 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.*

business requires haste.

But my

Cerberus. Aye, 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 còme to

the house of Mr. Mischief, the place where the Diabo

lonians

The flimsy foresight of man is unable to discover the enemies that are constantly lurking in ambush to destroy him; by the help of God we may be enabled to triumph over them.

lonians 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 Cerberus: and Cerberus again, with a thousand of their pit wishes, bid him haste with all speed to his masters. The which when he had heard, he made obeisance, 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 compliment 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 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 famous 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 gotten into her bowels; she cried, but Emanuel was gone, and her cries did not fetch him as yet again. Besides, she knew not whether ever or never he would return, and come to his Mansoul again; nor did they know the power

It is necessary for every mortal being to possess this disposition. of soul.

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 therefore still grew weaker and weaker, and were as a rolling 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 Diabolonians increased and grew, but the town of Mansoul diminished greatly. There were more than eleven thousand men, women, and children that died by the sickness in Mansoul.

But now, as Shaddai would have it, there was one whose name was Mr. Prywell, a great lover of the people of Mansoul. And he, as his manner was, went listening up and down Mansoul, to see and to hear if at any time he might, whether there was any design against it or no. For he was always a jealous man, and feared some mischief some time would befal it, either from the Diabolonians within, or from some power without. Now upon a time it so happened, as Mr. Prywell went listening here and there, that he lighted upon

*This great number is here set down, to impress on the mind the dreadful loss occasioned by the crime of apostacy.