"Wherefore be it known unto thee, O Emanuel comthou fountain of deceit, and be it also known miffioned by his to the foolish town of Manfoul, that I am Father. not come against thee this day without my Father.

Emanuel's ad

foul.

"And now, faid the golden-headed Prince, I have a word to the town of Manfoul (but fo foon as mention was made, that he had a word to speak to the befotted town of Manfoul, the gates were double-guarded, and all men commanded not to give him audience); fo he proceeded, and faid, O unhappy town of Manfoul, I cannot but be touched with pity and compaffion for thee. Thou haft accepted of Diabolus for drefs to the thy king, and art become a nurse and mini- town of Manfter of Diabolonians against thy fovereign Lord. Thy gates thou haft opened to him, but haft fhutthem fast against me; thou haft given him a hearing, but haft stopt thine ears to my cry: he brought to thee thy deftruction, and thou didst receive both him and it; I am come to thee bringing falvation, but thou regardest me not. Befides, thou haft with facrilegious hands taken thyself, with all that was mine in thee, and haft given all to my foe, and to the greatest enemy my Father has. You have bowed and fubjected yourselves to him, you have vowed and fworn yourselves to be his. Poor Manfoul! what fhall I do unto thee? Shall I fave thee? Shall I destroy thee? What shall I do unto thee? Shall I fall upon thee, and grind thee to powder; or make thee a monument of the richeft grace? What fhall I do unto thee? Hearken therefore, thou town of Manfoul, hearken to my word, (a) and thou fhalt live. I am merciful, Manfoul, and

thou

(a) The fcriptures contain the whole will of God concerning man they comprise the great charter of falvation, of which they are the powerful inftrument, by the enlivening influences of the holy Spirit. In them, mercy and juftice, wisdom and truth, gloriously fhine and harmonize in delivering from ruin, and promoting the everlasting felicity of poor finners.

ihou fhalt find me fo: fhut me not out of thy gates, Cant. v. 2.

"O Manfoul, neither is my commiffion or inclination at all to do thee hurt: why flyeft thou fo faft from thy friend, and stickest so close to thine enemy? Indeed I would have thee, because it becomes thee, to be forry for thy fin: but do not despair of life: this great force is not to hurt thee, but to deliver thee from thy bondage, and to reduce thee to thy odedience.

Emanuel's commiffion is

to make war upon Diabolus,

and to fave Manfoul.

My commiffion indeed is, to make war upon Diabolus thy king, and upon all Diabolonians with him, for he is the ftrong man armed that keeps the houfe; but I will have him out; his fpoils I must divide, his armour I muft take from him, his hold I must caft him out of, and must make it an habitation for myfelf. And this, O Manfoul, fhall Diabolus know, when he fhall be made to follow me in chains, and when Manfoul fhall rejoice to see it too.

"I could, would I now put forth my might, caufe that forthwith he should leave you, and depart; but I have it in my heart fo to deal with him, as that the justice of the war, that I fhall make upon him, may be feen and acknowledged by all. He hath taken Manfoul by fraud, and keeps it by violence and deceit; and I will make him Conclufion of bare and naked in the eyes of all observers. Emanuel's All my words are true: I am mighty to fave, speech. and will deliver my Manfoul out of his

hand." (a)

This fpeech was intended chiefly for Manfoul, but Manfoul would not have the hearing of it. They hut up Ear-gate, they barricadoed it up, they kept it locked and bolted, they fet a guard thereat, and com

manded

(a) This merciful declaration proves, that falvation is the pure effect of the everlasting, fovereign, and gracious decree and purpofe of Jehovah.Man naturally rejects Chrift as a Saviour; till almighty grace humbles the proud finner, bends the stubborn will, and inclines the heart to obedience.

manded that no Manfoulian fhould go out to him, nor that any from the camp fhould be admitted into the town; all this they did, fo horribly had Diabolus inchanted them to do, and to feek to do for him, againft their rightful Lord and Prince; wherefore no man, nor voice, nor found of man that belonged to the glorious hoft, was to come into the town. (a)

Emanuel prepares to make war upon Man

foul.

So when EMANUEL faw that Mansoul was thus involved in fin, he called his army together (fince now all his words were def pifed), and gave out a commandment throughout all his hofts, to be ready against the time appointed. Now forafmuch as there was no way lawfully to take the town of Manfoul, but to get in by the gates, and at Eargate as the chief, therefore he commanded his captains and commanders to bring their rams, their flings, and their men, and place them at Eye-gate and Ear-gate, in order to his taking the town.

When EMANUEL had put all things in readiness to bid Diabolus battle, he fent again to know of the town of Manfoul, if in peaceable manner they would yield themfelves; or whether they were yet refolved to put him to try the utmolt extremity? They then, together with Diabolus the king, called a council of war, and refolved upon certain propofitions that thould be offered EMANUEL, if he will accept thereof: fo they agreed; and then the next was, who should be fent on this errand.. Now there was in the town of Manfoul an Diabolus fends old man, a Diabolonian, and his name was Mr. Loth-to-ftoop; a ftiff man in his way, and a great doer for Diabolus; him therefore they fent, and put into his mouth what he fhould fay. So he went, and came to the

by the hand of

Loth-to-ftoop, and by him he propounds con ditions of peace,

his fervant Mr.

camp

(a) Unhappy for poor, blind, dead finners, that they're fift the counsel of God against themfelves, preferring mifery to happinefs. But, glory to free, fovereign, irrefiftible grace, the Redeemer's holy and invincible arm will at length get himself the victory, in the eternal falvation of his people!

No. 4

P

Diabolus wishes

camp to EMANUEL; and when he was come, a time was appointed to give him audience. So at the time he came; and after a Diabolonian ceremony or two, he thus began, and faid, Tit. i. 16. Great Sir, that it may be known unto all men, how good-natured a prince my mafter is, he hath fent me to tell your lordship, that he is very willing, rather than go to war, to deliver up into your hands one half of the town of Manfoul. (a) I am therefore to know if your Mightinefs will accept of this propofition.’

to retain the half of Man

foul.

Then faid EMANUEL, The whole is mine by gift and purchase, wherefore I will never lofe one half."

And will allow

Then faid Mr. Loth-to-ftoop, Sir, my Emanuel to be master hath said, that he will be content that fhall be the nominal and titular Lord of all, if he may poffefs but a part," Luke

called Lord of

all. xiii. 25.

you

Then EMANUEL anfwered, "The whole is mine. really, not in name and word only; wherefore I will be the fole lord and poffeffor of all, or of none at all, in Manfoul."

Mark, this.

Then Mr. Loth-to-ftoop faid again, Sir, behold the condefcenfion of my master! He fays, that he will be content if he may but have affigned to him fome place in Manfoul, as a place to live privately in, and fhall be Lord of all the reft,' Acts v. i—5. you Then faid the Golden Prince, "All that the Father giveth me, fhall come to me;" and of all that he hath given me I will lofe nothing, no not a hoof nor a hair; I will not therefore grant him, no not the leaft corner in Manfoul to dwell in, I will have all to myself.

Then

(a) A cold, lifelefs profeffion, without poffeffing Chrift the hope of glory, is not christianity; An almost chriftian is a very infidel. We cannot ferve two masters, God and Mammon. Jefus is worthy of all love and fervice. In him are treafured up every needful bleffing for time and eternity,

Mark this well.

Then Loth-to-ftoop faid again, • But, Sir, fuppofe that my Lord fhould refign the whole town to you only with this provifo, that he sometimes, when he comes into this country, may, for old acquaintance fake, be entertained as a wayfaring man for two days, or ten days, or a month, or fo; may not this fmall matter be granted?'

Then faid EMANUEL, "No. He came as a way faring man to David, nor did he ftay long with him, and yet it had like to have coft David his foul, 2 Sam. xii. 1-5. I will not consent that he ever should have any harbour more there.”

Sin and car

nal luft.

Then faid Mr. Loth-to-ftoop, Sir, you feem to be very hard. Suppofe my mafter fhould yield to all that your lordship hath faid, provided that his friends, and kindred in Mansoul may have liberty to trade in the town, and to enjoy their prefent dwellings; may not that be granted, Sir?' (a)

Then faid EMANUEL, "No; that is contrary to my Father's will, Rom. vi. 13. Col. iii. 5. Gal. v. 24. For all, and all manner of Diabolonians that now are, or that at any time fhall be found in Manfoul, fhall not only lofe their lands and liberties, but also their lives."

Mark this.

Then faid Mr. Loth-to-ftoop again, 'But, Sir, may not my mafter and great lord, by letters, by paffengers, by accidental opportunities, and the like, maintain, if he fhall deliver up all unto thee, fome kind of old friendship with Manfoul?' John x. 8.

EMANUEL answered, "No, by no means; forasmuch as any fuch fellowship, friendship, intimacy, or acquaint

ance,

(a) No wonder that the foul, being alienated from the life of God, finds it fo difficult to part with any darling lust, and fue for mercy at the feet of Chrift. But when any finner is born again from above, the proud heart is humbled and wonderfully turned Zion-ward, and made the habitation of God, thro' the Spirit.