had you taken heed, could not have made a prey of you, yet since you have sinned against your Prince, your enemies within have been too hard for you.

Then said Mr. Carnal-security, Fie, fie, Mr. Godly-fear, Fie! will you never shake off your timourousness? Are you afraid of being sparrow-blasted? Who bath burt you? Bebold I am on your side, only you are for doubting, and I am for being confident. Besides, is this a time to be sad in? A feast is made for mirth; why then do you now, to your shame, and our trouble, break out into such passionate melancholy language, when you should eat and drink and be merry?

Then said Mr. Godly-fear again, I may well be sad, for Emanuel is gone from Mansoul; I say again, he is gone, and you, Sir, are the man that has driven him away; yea, he is gone without so much as acquainting the nobles of Mansoul with his going, and if that is not a sign of his anger, I am not acquainted with the methods of godliness.

And now my Lords and Gentlemen, for my speech is still to you: You gradually declining from him did provoke him to depart from you, the which he did gradually if perhaps you would be made sensible thereby, and have been renewed by humbling of yourselves; but when he saw that none would regard, nor lay these fearful beginnings of his anger and judgment to heart, he went away from this place, and this I saw with mine eyes. Wherefore now while you boast, your strength is gone, you are like the man that had lost his locks that before did wave about his shoulders. You may with this lord of your feast, shake yourselves, and conclude to do as at other times; but since without him you can do nothing, and he departed from you, turn your feast into a sigh, and your mirth into lamentation.

Then the subordinate preacher, old Mr. Conscience by name, he that of old was Recorder of Mansoul, being startled at what was said, began to second it thus: In

6

deed,

deed, my brethren, quoth he, I fear that Mr. Godly-fear tells us true: I, for my part, have not seen my Prince a long season. I cannot remember the day, for my part; for can I answer Mr. Godly-fear's question. I am afraid that all is naught with Mansoul.

Godly-fear-Nay, I know that you will not find him in Mansoul, for he is departed and gone; yea, and gone for the faults of the elders, and for that they rewarded his grace with unsufferable unkindnesses.

Then did the subordinate preacher look as if he would fall down dead at the table, also all there present, except the man of the house, began to look pale and wan. But having a little recovered themselves, and jointly agreeing to believe Mr. Godly-fear and his sayings, they began to consult what was best to be done, (now Mr. Carnal-security was gone into his withdrawing room, for he liked not such dumpish doings) both to the man of the house, for drawing them into evil, and also to recover Emanuel's love. And with that, the saying of their Prince came very hot into their minds, which he had bidden thein to do to such as were false prophets that should arise to delude the town of Mansoul. So they took Mr. Carnal-security, '(concluding that he must be he) and burning his house upon him with fire, for he also was a Diabolian by nature.

So when this was past and over, they bespeed themselves to look for Emanuel their Prince, Cant. v.6. And they sought him, but they found 'him not; then were they more confirmed in the truth of Mr. Godly-fear's 'sayings, and began also severely to reflect upon them-. selves for their vile and ungodly doings, 'forthey con"cluded now that their Prince had left them.

Then they agreed and went to my Lord Secretary, (him whom before they had refused to hear, him whom they had grieved with their doings) to know of him, for he was a seer, and could tell where Emantiel was,

and

and how they might direct a petition to him. But the Lord Secretary would not admit them to a conference about this matter, nor would admit them to his royal palace, nor come out to them; Isa.lxiii. 10. Eph. iv. 30. i Thes. v. 19.

And now was it a day gloomy and dark, a day of clouds and of thick darkness with Mansoul. Now they saw that they had been foolish, and began to perceive what The company and prattle of Mr. Carnal-security had done, and what desperate damage his swaggering words had brought poor Mansoul into But what further it was likely to have cost them, that they were ignorant of. Now Mr. Godly-fear began again to be in repute with the men of the town; yea, they were ready to look upon him as a prophet.

The peo

Well, when the sabbath-day was come, they went to hear their subordinate preacher; but O how it did thunder and lighten this day! His text was that in the prophet Jonah, They that observe lying vanities, forsake their own mercies, Jonah ii. 8. But there was then such power and authority in that sermon, and such a dejection seen in the countenances of the people that day, that the like hath seldom been heard or seen. 'ple, when sermon was done, were scarce able to go to their homes, or to betake themselves to their employs the week after; they were so sermon-smitten, and also 'so sermon-sick, that they knew not what to do, Hos. vi. 13. He did not only shew Mansoul their sin, but did tremble before them under the sense of his own, still crying out of himself as he preached to them, Unhappy man that I am, that I should do so wicked a thing! That I, a preacher'! whom the Prince did set up to teach to Mansoul his law, should myself live senseless and sottisbly here, and be one of the first found in transgression. This transgression also fell within my precincts; I should have cried out against the wickedness, but I let Mansoul lay wallowing in

it, until it bad driven Emanuel from its borders. With these things he also charged all the lords and gentry of Mansoul, to the almost distracting of them.

About this time also there was a great sickness in the town of Mansoul, and most of the inhabitants were greatly afflicted. Yea, the captains also, and the men of war, were brought thereby to a languishing condition, and that for a long time together; so that in case of an invasion, nothing could to purpose now have been done, either by the townsmen or field officers, Heb. xii. 12, 13. Rev. iii. 2. Isa. iii. 24. O how many pale faces, weak hands, feeble knees, and staggering men were now seen to walk the streets of Mansoul! Here were groans, there pants, and yonder lay those that were ready to faint.

The garments too, which Emanuel had given them, were but in a sorry case; some were rent, some were torn, and all in a nasty condition; some also did hang so loosely upon them, that the next bush they came at was ready to pluck them off.

After some time spent in this sad and desolate condition, the subordinate preacher called for a day of fasting, and to humble themselves for being so wicked against the great Shaddai and his Son: And he desired that Capt. Boanerges would preach. So he consented to do it, and the day was come, and his text was this, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? And a very smart sermon he made upon the text. First, he shewed what was the occasion of the words, to wit, Because the fig-tree was barren; then he shewed what was contained in the sentence, to wit, repentance, or utter desolation. He then shewed also by whose authority this sentence was pronounced, and that was by Shaddai himself. And lastly, he shewed the reasons of the point, and then concluded his sermon. But he was very pertinent in the application, insomuch that he made poor Mansoul tremble: For this sermon, as well as the former, wrought

wrought much upon the hearts of the men of Mansoul; yea, it greatly helped to keep awake those that were roused by the preaching that went before. So that now throughout the whole town there was little or nothing to be heard or seen but sorrow and mourning, and woe. Now after sermon they got together and consulted what was best to be done. But said the subordinate preacher, I will do nothing of my own head, without advising with my neighbour Mr. Godly-fear.

For if he had afore, and understood more of the mind of our Prince than we, I do not know but he also may have it now, even now we are turning again to virtue; so they called and sent for Mr. Godly-fear, and he forthwith appeared; then they desired that he would further shew his opinion about what they had best to do. Then said the old gentleman as followeth': It is my opinion, that this town of Mansoul should, in this day of ber distress, draw up and send, an humble petition to their offended Prince Emanuel, that be, in bis favour and grace, will turn again unto you, and not keep anger for ever.

When the townsmen had heard this speech, they did with one consent agree to his advice; so they did presently draw up their request, and the next was, But who shall carry it? At last they did all agree to send it by my Lord Mayor. So he accepted of the service, and addressed himself to his journey; and went and came to the court of Shaddai, whither Emanuel the Prince of Mansoul was gone, Lam. iii. 8, 44. But the gate was shut, and a strict watch kept thereat, so that the petitioner was forced to stand without for a great while together. Then he desired that some would go in to the Prince, and tell him who stood at the gate, and what his business was. So one went and told Shaddai and Emanuel his Son, that the Lord Mayor of the town of Mansoul stood without at the gate of the King's court, desiring to be admitted into the presence of the Prince,

the