Mansoul, for so was the castle. The captains therefore being fled into the castle, the enemy, without much resistance, possess themselves of the rest of the town, and spreading themselves as they went, they cried out, Hellfire! Hell-fire! Hell-fire! so that nothing for a while throughout the town of Mansoul could be heard but the direful noise of Hell-fire, together with the roaring of Diabolus's drum. And now did the clouds hang black over Mansoul, nor did any thing but ruin seem to attend it. Diabolus also quartered his soldiers in the houses of the inhabitants of Mansoul, Yea, the subordinate preacher's house was full of them, and so was my Lord Mayor's and my Lord Will-be-will's. Yea, where was there a corner, a cottage, a barn, or a hog-sty, that now was not full of these vermin? Yea, they turned the men of the town out of their houses, and would lie in their beds, and sit at their tables themselves. Ah, poor Mansoul! now thou feelest the fruits of sin, and what venom was in the flattering words of Mr. Carnal Security! They made great havock of whatever they laid their hands on ; yea, they fired the town in several places; many young children also were by them dashed in pieces, yea, those that were yet unborn they destroyed in their mother's wombs: For you must needs think that it could not now bę otherwise, for what conscience, what pity, what bowels of compassion can any expect at the hands of these outlandish Doubters? And now did Mansoul seem to be nothing but a den of dragons, an emblem of hell, and.. a place of total darkness. Now did Mansoul lie, almost, like the barren wilderness; nothing but nettles, briers, thorns, weeds, and stinking things seem now to cover. the face of Mansoul. I told you before how that these. Diabolian Doubters turned the men of Mansoul out of their beds, and now I will add, they wounded them, they . mauled them, and almost brained many, yea, most if not all of them. Mr. Conscience they so wounded, yea, and

wounds so festered, that he could have no ease day nor night, but lay as continually upon a rack; but that Shaddai rules all, certainly they had slain him outright. My Lord Mayor they so abused, that they almost put out his eyes; and had not my Lord Will be-will got into the castle, they intended to have chopt him all to pieces, for they did look upon him, as his heart now stood, to be one of the very worst that was in Mansoul against Diabolus and his crew.

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Now a man might have walked for many days together in Mansoul, and scarce have seen one in the town that looked like a religious man. O the fearful state of Mansoul now! now every corner swarmed with outlandish Doubters; red-coats and black-coats walked the town by clusters, and filled up all the houses with hideous noises, vain songs, lying stories, and blasphemous language against Shaddai and his Son. Now also those Diabolians that lurked in the walls, and dens, and holes that were in the town, came forth and shewed themselves; yea, walked with open face in company with the Doubters that were in Mansoul.

But Diabolus and his outlandish men were not at peace in Mansoul; for they were not there entertained as were the captains and forces of Emanuel; the townsmen did brow-beat them what they could. Nor did they partake or make destruction of any of the necessaries of Mansoul, but that which they seized on against the townsmen's will; what they could they hid from them, and what they could not they had with an ill will. They, poor hearts, had rather have had their room than their company, but they were at present their captives, and their captives for the present they were forced to be, Rom. vii. But, I say, they discountenanced them as much as they were able, and shewed them all the dislike that they could.

The captains also from the eastle did hold them in

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continual play with their slings, to the chafing and fretting of the minds of the enemies. True, Diabolus made a great many attempts to have broken open the gates of the castle, but Mr. Godly-fear was made the keeper of that; and he was a man of courage, conduct, and valour, that 'twas in vain as long as life lasted within him, to think to do that work, tho' mostly desired; wherefore all the attempts that Diabolus made against him, were fruitless; I have wished sometimes that that man had the whole rule of the town. Well, this was the condition of the town of Mansoul, for about two years and a half: the body of the town was the seat of war; the people of the town were driven into holes, and the glory of Mansoul was laid in the dust; what rest then could be to the inhabitants, what peace could Mansoul have, and what sun could shine upon it? Had the enemy lain so long without in the plain against the town, it had been enough to have famished them; but now when they shall be within, when the town shall be their tent, their trench, and fort against the castle that was in the town, when the town shall be against the town, and shall serve to be a defence to the enemies of her strength and life; I say, when they shall make use of the forts and townholds, to secure themselves in, even till they shall take, spoil, and demolish the castle, this was terrible; and yet this was now the state of Mansoul. After Mansoul had been in this sad and lamentable condition for so long a time as I have told you, and no petitions that they presented their Prince with all this while, could prevail; the inhabitants of the town, to wit, the elders and chief of Mansoul, gather together, and after some time spent in condoling their miserable state, and this miserable judgment coming upon them, they agreed together to draw up yet another petition, and to send it away to Emanuel for relief. But Mr. Godly-fear stood up and answered, That be knew that bis Lord, the Prince, never did, nor ever

would receive a petition for these matters from the band of any whoever, unless the Lord Secretary's band was to it; and this, quoth be, is the reason you prevailed not all this while. Then they said they would draw up one, and get the Lord Se-' cretary's hand unto it. But Mr. Godly-fear answered again, That he knew also that the Lord Secretary would not set his hand to any petition that himself bad not an band in drawing up; and besides, said he, the Prince doth know my Lord Secretary's hand from all the bands in the world; wherefore be cannot be deceived by any pretence whatever; wherefore my advice is, that you go to my Lord, and implore him to lend you bis aid. Now he did yet abide in the castle, where all the captains and men at arms were. So they heartily thanked Mr. Godly-fear, took his counsel, and did as he had bidden them; so they went and came to my Lord, and made known the cause of their coming to him, to wit, that since Mansoul was in so deplorable a condition, his Highness would be pleased to draw up a petition for them to Emanuel, the Son of the mighty Shaddai, and to their King and his Father, by him.

Then said the Secretary to them, What petition is it that you would bave me draw up for you? But they said, Our Lord knows best the condition of Mansoul, and how we are backslidden from the Prince; thou also knowest who is come up to war against us, and how Mansoul is now the seat of war. My Lord knows moreover, what barbarons usage our men, women, and children have suffered at their hands, and how our home-bred Diabolians do walk now with more boldness than dare the townsmen of Mansoul. Let our Lord therefore, according to the wisdom of God that is in him, draw up a petition for his poor servants to our Prince Emanuel. Well, said he, I will draw up a petition for you, and will also set my band thereto. Then said they, But when shall we call for it at the hand of our Lord? But he answered, Yourselves must be present at the doing of it; yea, you must put your desires to it. True,

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-the band and pen shall be mine, but the ink and paper must be yours, else bow can you say, it is your petition? nor have I need to petition for my self, because I bave not offended. He also added as followeth: No petition goes from me in my name to the Prince, and so to bis Father by bim, but when the people, that are chiefly concerned therein, do join in heart and soul in the matter, for that must be inserted therein. So they did heartily agree with the sentence of the Lord, and a petition was forthwith drawn up for them. But now who shall carry it, that was the next. But the Secretary advised that Captain Credence should carry it, for he was a well spoken man. They therefore called for him, and propounded to him the business. Well, said the Captain, I gladly accept of the motion; and though I am lame, I will do this business for you, with as much speed, and as well as I can. The contents of the petition were to this purpose.

'O our Lord and Sovereign Prince Emanuel, the potent, long-suffering Prince, grace is poured into thy lips, and to thee belongs mercy and forgiveness, tho' we have rebelled against thee. We who are no more worthy to be called thy Mansoul, nor yet fit to partake of common benefits, do beseech thee, and thy Father by thee, to do away our transgressions. We confess that thou mightest cast us away for them, but do it not for thy name's sake; let the Lord rather take an opportunity at our miserable condition, to let out his bowels and compassion to us. We are compassed on every side; Lord, our own backslidings reprove us, our Diabolians within our town fright us, and the army of the angel of the bottomless pit distress us. Thy grace can be our salvation, and whither to go but to thee we know not. Furthermore, O gracious Prince, we have weakened our captains, and they are discouraged, sick, and of late some of them grievously worsted, and beaten out of the field by the power and force of the tyrant. Yea, even those of our captains,