Then said the King's Son, "Thy law is within my heart: I delight to do thy will," Heb. x. This is the day that I have longed for, and the work that I have waited for all this while. Grant me therefore what force thou shalt in thy wisdom think meet; and I will go, and will deliver from Diabolus, and from his power, thy perishing town of Mansoul. My heart has been often pained within me, for the miserable town of Mansoul: but now it is rejoiced, but now it is glad; and with that he leaped over the mountains for joy, saying, I have not in my heart thought any thing too dear for Mansoul; the day of vengeance is in mine heart for thee, my Mansoul; and glad am I that thou, my Father, hast made me the captain of their salvation, Heb. ii. 10.

And I will now begin to plague all that have been a plague in my town of Mansoul, and I will deliver it from their hands.*

When the King's Son had said thus to his Father, it presently flew like lightning round about at court: yea, it there became the only talk what Emanuel was to go to do for the famous town of Mansoul. But you cannot think how the courtiers too were taken with this design of the Prince; yea, so affected were they with this work, and with the justness of the war, that the highest lord and greatest peer of the kingdom coveted to have commissions under Emanuel, to go and help to recover again to Shaddal that miserable town of Mansoul.!

Then was it concluded that some should go and carry tidings to the camp, that Emanuel was to come to recover Mansoul; and that he would bring along with

him

*`The arm of God brings salvation. As Bishop Hall observes, "when the inward call of the Spirit accompanies the outward call of the word, the soul readily complies, and presently yields obedience to the voice of God.-When Christ speaks by his Spirit to our hearts, Satan shall not hold us down, the world shall not keep us back; but we shall arise and follow our Lord and Master." See Isa, Ixiii. 5. and Luke xix. 6.

him so mighty, so impregnable a force, that he could not be resisted. But Oh! how ready were the high ones at court to run like lacquies to carry these tidings to the camp that was at Mansoul!

Now when the captains perceived that the King would send Emanuel his Son, and that it also delighted the Son to be sent on this errand by the great Shaddai his Father; they also, to shew how they were pleased at the thoughts of his coming, gave a shout that made the earth rend at the sound thereof; yea, the mountains answered the echo, and Diabolus himself tottered and shook. Now you must know, that though the town of Mansoul itself was not much, if at all, concerned with the project (for, alas for them! they were woefully be-sotted, for they chiefly regarded their pleasure and lusts,) yet Diabolus was their governor, for he had his spies continually abroad, who brought him intelligence of all things; and they told him what was doing at court against him, and that Emanuel would certainly come shortly with a power to invade him. Nor was there any man in court, nor peer of the kingdom, that Diabolus so feared, as he feared this Prince: for, if you remember, I shewed you before, that Diabolus had felt the weight of his hand already; so that since it was he that was come, this made him sore afraid.

Well, you see how I have told you that the King's Son was engaged to come from the court to save Mansoul,* and that his Father had made him captain of the forces: the time therefore for his setting forth being expired, he addressed himself for the march, and took with

*The love of God to sinners is beautifully set forth in the following lines:

"The saviour comes, by ancient seers foretold;
Hear him, ye deaf, and all ye blind, behold:
He from thick films shall purge the visual ray,
And on the sightless eye-balls pour the day:
The dumb shall sing, the lame his crutch forego,
And leap exulting like the bounding roe."
POPE'S MESSIAH.

with him, for his power, five noble captains and their forces.*

1. The first was that famous captain, the noble captain Credence; his were the red colours, and Mr. Promise bare them, John i. 29. Eph. vi. 16. and for an escutcheon he had the Holy Lamb and Golden Shield; and he had ten thousand men at his feet.

2. The second was that famous captain, the captainGood Hope; his were the blue colours, Heb. vi. 19.His standard-bearer was Mr. Expectation; and for an escutcheon he had Three Golden Anchors; and he had ten thousand men at his feet.

3. The third was that valiant captain, the captain Charity, 1 Cor. xiii. His standard-bearer was Mr. Pitiful; his were the green colours, and for his escutcheon he had Three Naked Orphans embraced in the Bosom ;, and he had ten thousand men at his feet.

4. The fourth was that gallant commander, the captain Innocent, Matt. x. 16. His standard-bearer was Mr. Harmless; his were the white colours; and for his escutcheon he had Three Golden Doves.

5. The fifth was the truly loyal and well-beloved captain, the captain Patience: his standard-bearer was Mr. Suffer-long; his were the black colours, and for an escutcheon he had Three Arrows through a Golden Heart.

These were Emanuel's captains, these their standardbearers, their colours, and escutcheons, and these the men under their command, Heb. vi. 21. So, as was said, the brave Prince took his march, to go to the town of Mansoul. Captain Credence led the van, and captain Patience brought up the rear. So the other three, with their men, made up the main body. The Prince himself rode in his chariot at the head of them. But when they set out for their march, Oh how the trumpets

* These are the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit; faith, hope, love, goodness, patience, humility, heavenly-mindedness, &c.

trumpets sounded, their armour glittered, and now the colours waved in the wind! the Prince's armour was all gold, and it shone like the sun in the firmament. The captains' armour was of proof, and was in appearance like the glittering stars. There were also some from the court that rode reformades, for the love that they had to the King Shaddai, and for the happy deliverance of the town of Mansoul.*

Emanuel also, when he had thus set forwards to go to recover the town of Mansoul, took with him, at the command of his Father, fifty-four battering rams, and twelve slings to whirl stones withal. Every one of these was made of pure gold; and these they carried in the heart and body of their army, all along as they went to Mansoul.

So they marched until they came within less than a league of the town; and there they lay till the first four. captains came thither, to acquaint them with matters. Then they took their journey to go to the town of Mansoul, and unto Mansoul they came; but when the old Soldiers, that were in the camp, saw that they had, new forces to join with, they again gave such a shout before the walls of Mansoul, that it put Diabolus into another fright. So they sat down before the town, not now as the other four captains did, to wit, against the gates of Mansoul only, but they environed it round on every side, and beset it behind and before; so that now let Mansoul look which way it would, it saw force and power lie in siege against it. Besides, there were

mounts

* Our Redeemer's praise will be the delightful and everlasting theme of saints, but when his glorious work shall receive its full accomplishment in the heavenly mansions,

"No sigh, no murmer, his elect shall hear,
From ev'ry face he'll wipe off ev'ry tear :

In adamantine chains shall death be bound,
And hell's grim tyrant feel th' eternal wound."

MESSIAH.

"

+ "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," Rom. x. 17. Jesus, as the Saviour of lost sinners, is the sum and substance of the Bible.

mounts cast up against it; the mount Gracious was on the one side, and mount Justice on the other.. Farther, there were several small banks and advanced grounds, as Plain-Truth Hill, and No sin Banks, where many of the slings were placed against the town. Upon mount Gracious were planted four, and upon mount Justice were placed as many: and the rest were conveniently placed in several parts round about the town. Five of the best battering rams, that is, of the biggest of them, were placed upon mount Hearken, a mount cast up hard by Ear-gate, with intent to break that open.*

Now when the town of Mansoul saw the multitude, and the soldiers that were come up against the place, and the rams and slings, and the mounts on which they were planted; together with the glittering of the armour, and the waving of their colours; they were forced to shift and shift, and again to shift their thoughts; but they hardly changed for thoughts more stout, but rather for thoughts more faint; for though before they thought themselves sufficiently guarded, yet now they began to think that no man knew what would be their hap or lot.

When the good prince Emanuel had thus beleaguered Mansoul, in the first place he hangs out the white flag, which he caused to be set up among the golden slings that were planted upon mount Gracious. And this he did for two reasons: 1. To give notice to-Man-: soul, that he could and would yet be gracious, if they turned to him. 2. And that he might leave them the more without excuse, should he destroy them, they continuing in their rebellion.

So the white flag with the three golden doves on it,

was

The eternal Spirit must first give the hearing ear, and the understanding heart, before any progress in reforming a hardened sinner can be expected; but, after that happy period, the soul shall readily' hearken to the voice of God, will become sensible of its own ruinous state, and flee to Christ for pardon and peace, through his atoning blood and justifying righteousness.