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the young men told them, that they had considered the thing before, and that hearing they were upon their march for such a design, came hither on purpose to meet them, that they might list under their excellencies. Then captain Boanerges, for that they were men of courage, listed them into his company, so away they went to the war.

Now when the war was begun, in one of the briskest skirmishes, so it was, that a company of the lord Willbe-will's men sallied out of the sally-ports, or posterns of the town, and fell in upon the rear of captain Boanerges's men, where these three fellows happened to be, so he took them prisoners,* and away they carried them into the town; where they had not lain long in durance, but it began to be noised about the streets of the town, what three notable prisoners the Lord Will-be-will's men had taken, and brought in prisoners out of the camp of Shaddai. At length tidings thereof were carried to Diabolus to the castle, to wit, what my lord Will-be-will's men had done, and whom they had taken prisoners.

Then Diabolus called for Will-be-will, to know the certainty of this matter. So he asked him, and he told him. Then did the giant send for the prisoners, and when they were come, he demanded of them who they were, whence they came, and what they did in the camp of Shaddai? and they told him. Then he sent them into ward again. Not many days after, he sent for them to him again, and then asked them, if they would be willing to serve him against their former captains. They then told him, that they did not so much live by religion, as by the fates of fortune; and that, since his lordship

* When false professors are violently assaulted by Satan, or their carnal appetites, they basely yield, and are taken captive by the enemy. Not so with those whom sovereign grace has enlisted under the banner of Jesus: they, being strengthened with might in their inner man, grow stronger and stronger, and, leaning on the holy and omnipotent arm of the Captain of their salvation, are by him led triumphantly on to the kingdom of bliss, in spite of sin, hell, and death; "such honour have all his saints!" Psal. cxlix. 9.

lordship was willing to entertain them, they should be willing to serve him. Now while things were thus in hand, there was one captain Any-thing, a great doer in the town of Mansoul, and to this captain Any-thing did Diabolus send these men,* with a note under his hand, to receive them into his company; the contents of which letter were these:

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war:

Any-thing, my darling, the three men that are the bearers of this letter, have a desire to serve me in the nor know I better to whose conduct to commit them, than to thine; receive them therefore in my name, and, as need shall require, make use of them against Shaddai and his men. Farewell.'

So they came, and he received them, and he made two of them serjeants; but he made Mr. Man's Invention his Ancient Bearer. But thus much for this, and now to return to the camp.

They of the camp did also some execution upon the town; for they did beat down the roof of the new lord mayor's house, and so laid him more open than he was before. They had almost (with a sling) slain my lord Will-be-will outright; but he made shift to recover again. But they made a notable slaughter among the aldermen, for with only one shot they cut off six of them; to wit, Mr. Swearing, Mr. Whoring, Mr. Fury, Mr. Standto-lies, Mr. Drunkenness, and Mr. Cheating.†

They also dismounted the two great guns that stood upon the tower over Ear-gate, and laid them flat in the dirt. I told you before, that the King's noble captains

had

* Christ and his religion have always been opposed by tradition, human reason, and man's invention. When the only true religion is discarded, professors of this class will be ready to take up with that most in fashion, how contrary soever to the word, mind, and will of God. But, though men may deceive themselves, to their destruction, yet God is not mocked; for, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall - he also reap," &c. Gal. vi. 7. 8.

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†True conversion is the sole work of the Spirit; it is both effectal in promoting true holiness, and saving in its fruits and effects.

had drawn off to their winter-quarters, and had there intrenched themselves and their carriages, so as with the best advantage to their King, and the greatest annoyance to the enemy, they might give the seasonable and warm alarms to the town of Mansoul. And this design of them did so hit, that I may say they did almost what they would to the molestation of the corporation.

For now could not Mansoul sleep securely as before, nor could they now go to their debaucheries with that quietness as in times past: for they had from the camp of Shaddai, such frequent, warm alarms; yea, alarms upon alarms, first at one gate, and then at another, and again at all the gates at once; that they were broken as to former peace: yea, they had their alarms so frequently, and that when the nights were at the longest, the weather coldest, and so consequently the season most unseasonable, that that winter was to the town of Mansoul, a winter by itself. (x) Sometimes the trumpets would sound, and sometimes the slings would whirl the stones into the town.* Sometimes ten thousand of the King's soldiers would be running round the walls of Mansoul at midnight, shouting, and lifting up their voice for the battle. Sometimes again, some of them in the town would be wounded, and their cry and lamentable voice would be heard, to the great molestation of the now languishing town of Mansoul. Yea, so distressed were they with those that laid siege against them, that I dare say Diabolus their king had in these days his rest much broken.

In those days, as I was informed, new thoughts, and thoughts that began to run counter one to another, by degrees

(x) The effects of convictions, though common, if abiding.

When sinners have recourse to prayer, reading the scriptures, and attendance on public worship; these are means, in the hand of the Spirit, to forward the glorious work of God. But many, alas! when their consciences begin to be alarmed and uneasy, betake themselves to the pleasure and vanities of the world for a cure; thus they choke the good seed, and too often turn their backs on God and happiness for ever. Their case is deplorable.

degrees possessed the minds of the men of the town of Mansoul. Some would say, 'There is no living thus.' Others would then reply, This will be over shortly.' Then would a third stand up and answer, Let us turn to King Shaddai, and so put an end to all these troubles.' And a fourth would come in with a fair speech, saying, I doubt he will not receive us.'

The old gentleman too, the recorder,(y) that was so before Diabolus took Mansoul, he also began to talk aloud, and his words were now in the town of Mansoul as if they were great claps of thunder. No noise now so terrible to Mansoul as was his, with the noise of the soldiers, and shoutings of the captains.

Also things began to grow scarce in Mansoul; now the things that her soul lusted after departed from her, Luke xv. 14, 15. Upon all her pleasant things there was a blast, and burning instead of beauty.. Wrinkles now, and some shews of the shadow of death, were upon the inhabitants of Mansoul. And now, O how glad would Mansoul have been to have enjoyed quietness and satisfaction of mind, though joined with the meanest condition in the world!

The captains also, in the deep of winter, did send by the mouth of Boanerges's trumpeter, a summons to Mansoul, to yield up herself to the King, the great King Shaddai. They sent it once, and twice, and thrice; not knowing but that at some time there might be in Mansoul some willing to surrender themselves unto them, might they but have the colour of an invitation to do it under. Yea, so far as I could gather, the town had been surrendered up to them before now, had it not been for the opposition of old Incredulity, and the fickleness of the thoughts of my lord Will-be-will.— Diabolus also began to rave; wherefore Mansoul, as to yielding, was not as yet all of one mind, therefore they still lay distressed under these perplexing fears.

(y) Conscience.

The

I told you but now, that they of the King's army had this winter sent three times to Mansoul, to submit herself.

The first time the trumpeter went, he went with words of peace; telling them, that the captains, the noble captains of Shaddai, pitied and bewailed the misery of the now perishing town of Mansoul, and were troubled to see then stand so much in the way of their own deliverance. He said moreover, that the captains bid him tell them, that if now poor Mansoul would humble herself, and turn, her former rebellions and most notorious treasons should, by their merciful King, be forgiven them, yea, and forgotten too. And having bid them beware they opposed not themselves, nor made themselves their own losers; he returned again into the camp.

The second time the trumpeter went, he treated them a little more roughly; for, after sound of trumpet he told them, that their continuing in their rebellion did but chase and heat the spirit of the captains, and that they were resolved to make a conquest of Mansoul, or lay their bones before the town walls.

He went again the third time, and dealt with them yet more roughly; telling them, that now, since they had been so horribly profane, he did not know, not certainly know whether the captains were inclined to mercy or judgment; † only, said he, they commanded

me

* The natural condition of the soul is here very justly compared to winter; for, in many unconverted persons, not so much as the leaves of profession are to be found, much less any fruit unto God: all the goodly powers of the mind are lifeless, and barren, with respect to the things of God: the whole man, being thus stript of union and communion with God: if he remain so till death, must necessarily be miserable to all eternity; for we read in John viii. 21, they that die in their sins, can have no admittance into Christ's presence in heaven.

+ Sinners in general have certainly the utmost reason to look for deserved judgment, without mercy; for "all have sinned," Rom. iii. 23. But merciful invitation is addressed to all: "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out," John vi. 37. May the lord enable all his dear people to trust to his precious promises, unto eternal life!

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