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abase him; and bend their faces in secret? Yet these are some of the works of our King, in whose name this day we come up unto you; that you may be brought under his authority. In his name therefore I summon you again, to yield up yourselves to his captains."

At this summons the Mansoulians seemed to be at a stand, and knew not what answer to make; wherefore Diabolus forthwith appeared, and took upon him to do it himself, and thus he begins; but turns his speech to them of Mansoul.

"Gentlemen, quoth he, and my faithful subjects, if it is true what this summoner hath said, concerning the greatness of their King, by his terror you will always be kept in bondage, and so be made to sneak. Yea, how can you now, though he is at a distance, endure to think of such a miglity one? And if not to think of him, while at a distance, how can you endure to be in his presence? I your Prince am familiar with you, and you may play with me as you would with a grasshopper. Consider, therefore, what is for your profit, and remember the immunities that I have granted you. Farther, if all be true that this man hath said, how comes it to pass that the subjects of Shaddai áre so enslaved in all places where they come? None in the universe so unhappy as they, none so trampled upon as they. Consider, my Mansoul: Would thou wert as loth to leave me, as I am loth to leave thee. But consider I say, the ball is yet at my foot; liberty you have, if you know how to use it: Yea, a king you have too, if you can tell how to love and obey him."

Upon this speech the town of Mansoul did again harden their hearts, yet more against the captains of Shaddai. The thoughts of his holiness sunk them in despair; wherefore after a short consult, they (of the Diabolian party they were) sent back this word by the trumpeter, That for their parts they were resolved to

stick to their king, but never to yield to Shaddai: So it was in vain to give them any further summons, for they had rather die upon the place than to yield. And now things seemed to be gone quite back, and Mansoul to be out of reach or call; yet the captains, who knew what their Lord could do, would not be beat out of heart: They therefore send them another summons, more sharp and severe than the last, but the sooner they were sent to reconcile to Shaddai, the further off they were, Hos. xi. 2. As they called them, so they went from them; yea, though they called them to the Most High.

So they ceased that way to deal with them any more, and inclined to think of them another way. The captains therefore did gather themselves together, to have free conference among themselves, to know what was yet to be done to gain the town, and to deliver it from the tyranny of Diabolus; and one said after this manner, and another after that, Then stood up the right noble Capt. Conviction, and said, My brethren, my opinion

is this:

First, That we continully play our slings into the town, and keep them in a continual alarm, molesting them day and night; by thus doing we shall stop the growth of their rampant spirits. For a lion may be tamed by continual molestation.

Secondly, This done, I advise, that in the next place, we with one consent, draw up a petition to our Lord Shaddai, by which, after we have shewed our King the condition of Mansoul, and of affairs here, and have begged his pardon for our no better success, we will earnestly implore his Majesty's help, and that he will please to send us more force and power, and some gallant and well-spoken commander to head them, that so his Majesty may not lose the benefit of these his good beginnings, but may compleat his conquest upon the town of Mansoul.

Το

To this speech of the noble Captain Conviction, they as one man consented, and agreed that a petition should forthwith be drawn up, and sent by a fit man, away to Shaddai with speed. The contents of the petition were thus:

Most gracious and glorious King, the Lord of the best world, and the builder of the town of Mansoul, we have, dread Sovereign, at thy command, put our lives in jeopardy, and at thy bidding made a war upon the famous town of Mansoul. When we went up against it we did according to our commission, first offer conditions of peace unto it, (Matt. xxii. 5. Prov. i. Zech. vii. 10 to 13). But they, great King, set light by our counsel, and would have none of our reproof: They were for shutting of their gates, and so keeping us out of the town. They also mounted their guns, they sallied out upon us, and have done us what damage they could; but we pursued them, with alarm upon alarm requiting them with such retribution as was meet, and have done some execution upon the town.

Diabolus, Incredulity, and Will-be-will, are the great doers against us, now we are in our winter quarters, but so as that we do yet with an high band molest and distress the

town.

Once, as we think, bad we bad but one substantial friend in the town, such as would have but seconded the sound of our summons, as they ought, the people might have yielded themselves: But there were none but enemies there, nor any to speak in behalf of our Lord to the town: Wherefore, tho' we have done as we could, yet Mansoul abides in a state of rebellion against thee.

Now, King of Kings, let it please thee to pardon the unsuccessfulness of thy servants, who have been no more advantageous in so desirable a work, as the conquering of Mansoul is: And send, Lord, as we now desire, more forces to Mansoul, that it may be subdued; and a man to bead them that the town may both love and fear.

We

We do not thus speak because we are willing to relinquish the war (for we are for laying of our bones against the place) but that the town of Mansoul may he won for thy Majesty. We also pray thy Majesty for expedition in this matter, that after conquest we may be at liberty, to be sent about other thy gracious designs. Amen.

The petition thus drawn up, was sent away with haste to the King by the hand of that good man, Mr. Love-to-Mansoul.

When this petition was come to the palace of the King, who should it be delivered to, but the King's Son. So he took it and read it, and because the contents of it pleased him well, he mended it, and also in some things, added to the petition himself. So after he had made such amendments and additions as he thought convenient, with his own hands, he carried it unto the King; to whom when he had with obeisance delivered it, he put on authority, and spake to it himself.

Now the King, at the sight of the petition was glad, but how much more think you when it was seconded by his Son. It pleased him also to hear that his servants that encamped against Mansoul were so bearty in the work, and so stedfast in their resolves, and that they had already got some ground upon the famous town of Mansoul.

Wherefore the King called to him Emanuel his Son, who said, Here am I, my Father. Then said the King, thou knowest, as I do myself, the condition of the town of Mansoul, and what thou hast done to redeem it. Come now, therefore my Son, and prepare thyself for the war, for thou shalt go to my camp at Mansoul. Thou shalt also there prosper, and prevail, and conquer the town of Mansoul.

Then said the King's Son, The law is within my heart; I delight to do thy will, Heb. x. This is the day

that

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 'tis rejoiced, but now 'tis 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 to 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, did covet to have commissions under Emanuel, to go to help to recover again to Shaddai 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 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

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