The place of

hearing and of considering.

2. The second reason was, if perhaps Emmanuel, the son of Shaddai their King, by seeing the horrible and profane doings of the town of Mansoul, might repent, though entered into a covenant of redeeming them, of pursuing that covenant of their redemption; for he knew that Shaddai was holy, and that his Son Emmanuel was holy; yea, he knew it by woeful experience, for for the iniquity and sin of Diabolus was he cast from the highest orbs. Wherefore what more rational than for him to conclude that thus, for sin, it might fare with Mansoul? But fearing also lest this knot should break, he bethinks himself of another, to wit :

Fourthly, To endeavour to possess all hearts in the town of Mansoul that Shaddai was raising an army, to come to overthrow and utterly to destroy this town of Mansoul. And this he did to forestall any tidings that might come to their ears of their deliverance; "for," thought he, "if I first bruit this, the tidings that shall come after will all be swallowed up of this; for what else will Mansoul say, when they shall hear that they must be delivered, but that the true meaning is, Shaddai intends to destroy them?" Wherefore he summons the whole town into the market-place, and there, with deceitful tongue, thus he addresses himself unto them :—

“Gentlemen, and my very good friends, you are all, as you know, my legal subjects, and men of the famous town of Mansoul. You know how, from the first day that I have been with you until now, I have behaved myself among you, and what liberty

and great privileges you have enjoyed under my
government, I hope to your honour and mine, and
also to your content and delight. Now, my famous
Mansoul, a noise of trouble there is abroad, of
trouble to the town of Mansoul; sorry I am thereof
for your
sakes: for I have received but now by the
post from my Lord Lucifer, (and he useth to have
good intelligence,) that your old King Shaddai is
raising an army to come against you, to destroy
you root and branch; and this, O Mansoul, is now
the cause that at this time I have called you to-
gether, namely, to advise what in this juncture is
best to be done. For my part, I am but one, and
can with ease shift for myself, did I list to seek
my own ease, and to leave my Mansoul in all the
danger; but my heart is so firmly united to you,
and so unwilling am I to leave you, that I am will-
ing to stand and fall with you, to the utmost haz-
ard that shall befall me. What say you, O my
Mansoul? Will you now desert your old friend, or
do you think of standing by me?" Then, as one
man, with one mouth, they cried out together,
"Let him die the death that will not."

able lan

guage.

Then said Diabolus again, "It is in vain for us Very deceiv to hope for quarter, for this King knows not how to shew it. True, perhaps, he, at his first sitting down before us, will talk of and pretend to mercy, that thereby with the more ease, and less trouble, he may again make himself the master of Mansoul. Whatever, therefore, he shall say, believe not one syllable or tittle of it; for all such language is but to overcome us, and to make us, while we wallow in our blood, the trophies of his merciless victory.

Lying language.

He is afraid of losing Mansoul.

My mind is, therefore, that we resolve to the last man to resist him, and not to believe him upon any terms; for in at that door will come our danger. But shall we be flattered out of our lives? I hope you know more of the rudiments of politics than to suffer yourselves so pitifully to be served.

"But suppose he should, if he get us to yield, save some of our lives, or the lives of some of them that are underlings in Mansoul, what help will that be to you that are the chief of the town, especially you whom I have set up, and whose greatness has been procured by you through your faithful sticking to me? And suppose, again, that he should give quarter to every one of you, be sure he will bring you into that bondage under which you were captivated before, or a worse, and then what good will your lives do you? Shall you with him live in pleasure as you do now? No, no; you must be bound by laws that will pinch you, and be made to do that which at present is hateful to you. I am for you, if you are for me; and it is better to die valiantly than to live like pitiful slaves. But, I say, the life of a slave will be counted a life too good for Mansoul now. Blood, blood, nothing but blood, is in every blast of Shaddai's trumpet against poor Mansoul now. Pray, be concerned; I hear he is coming. Up, and stand to your arms, that now, while you have any leisure, I may learn you some feats of war. Armour for you I have, and by me it is; yea, and it is sufficient for Mansoul from top to toe; nor can you be hurt by what his force can do, if you shall keep it well girt and fastened about you. Come, therefore, to my