two-edged swords. Wherefore he also falls upon the Prince's army, with all his deadly force. So the battle was joined. Now who was it that at first Diabolus met with in the fight, but captain Credence on the one hand, and the lord Will-be-will on the other; now Will-bewill's blows were like the blows of a giant, for that man had a strong arm, and he fell in upon the ElectionDoubters, 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 upon the same company also, so they put them to great disorder. Now captain Good hope had engaged the VocationDoubters, and they were sturdy men; but the captain was a valiant man: captain Experience also sent him some aid; so 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 a hair's breadth. But after awhile those that filed before the captains of the Prince, began to rally again, and they came up stoutly upon the rear of the Prince's army, wherefore the 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 Emanuel, and the shield of captain Credence!" and with that Diabolus gave back, thinking that more aid had come. But no Emanuel as yet appeared. Moreover the battle hung in doubt; and they made a little retreat on both sides. Now in the time of respite, captain Credence bravely encouraged his men to stand to it, and Diabolus did the like, as well as he could. But captain Credence made a brave speech to his soldiers, the contents whereof here follow:

"Gentlemen

Hope is, no doubt, the greatest stimulus of the worldly actions of men; but how much more forcibly must it act when applied to things concerning the welfare of the soul.

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 lovers 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 much cause to boast of their gettings. Now take to yourselves your wonted courage, and shew yourselves men, even this once only; for in a few minutes after the next engagement this time, you shall see your Prince shew himself in the field; for we must make this second assault upon this tyrant Diabolus, and then Emanuel comes.

No sooner had the captain made this speech to his soldiers, but one Mr. Speedy came post to the captain from the Prince, to tell him Emanuel was at hand. This news, when the captain had received, he communicated 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 Prince Emanuel, and shield of captain Credence!"

The Diabolonians also bestirred themselves, and made resistance as well as they could, but in this last engagement they lost their courage, and many of the Doubters fell down dead to the ground. Now when they had been in the heat of battle about an hour or more captain Credence lift up his eyes, and beheld Emanuel coming, and he came with colours flying, trumpets sounding, and the feet of his men scarce touched the ground, they hasted with that celerity towards the captains that were engaged. The captain Credence wheeled his men to the townward, and gave to Diabolus the field. Emanuel came upon him on the one side, and the enemy's place was betwixt them both; then again they fell to it afresh, and a little while afterwards Emanuel

So

and

*Till we are quickened and enlivened by the spirit of God, we are unable to cope with the weakest of our subile enemies.

and captain Credence met, still trampling down the stain as they came.

But when the captains saw that the 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, "The sword of Emanuel, 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, and the lords of the pit that were with him, but make their escape, and forsake their army, and leave them to fall by the hand of Emanuel, and of his noble captain 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 Emanuel, 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. Also all the gates of the town were set open for their reception, 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

* Before our great Zerubbabel, every mountain shall become a plain: our blessed Saviour has conquered all our enemies in his own person, and has power to subdue them in us.

be

they did, for as he drew near, and approached towards the gate, they said, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and ye lift up ye everlasting doors, and the king of glory shall come in." And 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 thein up, ye everlasting doors, &c.*

Secondly, It was ordered also by those of Mansoul, that all the way from the town gates to those of the castle, his blessed Majesty should be entertained with the song, by them that had best skill in music in the town of Mansoul; then the elders, and the rest of the men of Mansoul answered one another as Emanuel 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 my God, my King, in the sanctuary. So the singers went before, the players on the Instruments following after, and among them were the damsels playing on timbrels."

Thirdly, Then the captains (for I would speak a word for them) in their order waited on the Prince as he entered into the gates of Mansoul: captain Credence went before, and captain Good-hope went with him; captain Charity came behind, with other of his companions, and captain Patience followed after all, and the rest of the captains, some on the right hand, and some on the left, accompanied Emanuel 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 armour, 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,

* The regenerate, even while they exist in this terrestrial sphere ascribe all the glory of their salvation to the King of saints: he will be the everlasting theme of praise of the heavenly band in the realms of bliss.

Fourthly, When the Prince was come to the entrance of Mansoul, he found all the streets strewed with lillies and flowers, curiously decked with boughs and branches from the green trees, that stood round about the town.* Every door was also filled with persons who had adorned every one their fore part against their house with something of variety and singular excellency to entertain him withal as he passed in the streets; they also themselves, as Emanuel 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 subordinate Preacher, Mr. Knowledge, and Mr. Mind, with other of the gentry of the place, saluted Emanuel again; they bowed before him, they kissed the dust of his feet, they thanked, they blessed and praised his Highness for not taking advantage against them for their 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 straightway to the castle; for that was the royal palace, and the place where his honour 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 commonality of the town of Mansoul came to him into the castle to mourn, weep, and lament for their wickedness, by which they had forced 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, confirm his love to Mansoul.

Το

* A poor sinner cannot fail to be enraptured, when he has withstood the storms of the Devil, and at length tastes of the balmy sweets flowing from the love of God to his fallen creatures on earth.

+ Nothing can excite our godly sorrow and sensibility so much as reflections on our Redeemer's love, and our own vile ingratitude and hardness of heart.