ance, in what way,, fort, or mode foever maintained, will tend to the corrupting of Manfoul, the alienating of their affections from me, and the endangering their peace with my Father." Mr. Loth-to-ftoop yet added further, faying, Mark this. But, great Sir, fince my mafter hath many friends, and thofe that are dear to him in Manfoul, Rom. vi. 12, 13. may he not, if he depart from them, even of his bounty and good nature, beftow upon them, as he fees Delight in the fit, fome tokens of his love and kindness that recollection of he had for them, to the end that Manfoul, paft fins. when he is gone, may look upon fuch tokens of kindnefs once received from their old friend, and remember him who was once their king, and the merry times that they fometimes enjoyed one with another, while he and they lived in peace together?" Then faid EMANUEL, "No; for if Manfoul come to Be mine, I fhall not admit of, nor confent that there fhould be the leaft fcrap, fhred, or duft of Diabolus left behind, as tokens or gifts bestowed upon any in Mansout, thereby to call to remembrance the horrible communion that was betwixt them and him.. Loth-to-ftoop, I Mark this. Well, Sir, faid have one thing more to propound, and then I am got to the end of my commiffion; 2 Kings i. 3, 6, 7. Suppofe that when my mafter is gone from Manfoul, any that yet fhall live in the town, thall have fuch bufinefs of high concerns to do, that, if they be neglected, the party fhall be undone: and fuppofe, Sir, that nobody can help, in that cafe, fo well as my mafter and lord; may not now my mafter be fent for upon fo urgent an occasion as this? Or if he may not be admitted into the town, may not he and (a) Chrift is worthy of our whole heart and fupreme affection: our duty and happiness call on us to give it him: the more we are renewed in his image, the greater ftrength we fhall derive from his fulness, for our walk and warfare. May we therefore daily die to fin, and live to God alone! and the perfons concerned meet in fome of the villages near Manfoul, and there lay their heads together, and there confult together?' fitions of Loth to-ftoop in be half of Diabolus rejected. This was the laft of those enfnaring pro- All the propopofitions that Mr. Loth-to-ftoop had to propound to EMANUEL on behalf of his master Diabolus: but EMANUEL would not grant it; for he said, there can be no cafe, or thing, or matter, fall out in Manfoul, when thy master fhall be gone, that may not be folved by my Father, 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. Befides, it will be a great difparagement to my Father's wisdom and skill, to admit any from Manfoul to go out to Diabolus for advice, when they are bid before, in every thing, by prayer and fupplication, to let their requests be made known to my Father, 2 Kings i. 2 3. Further, this, fhould it be granted, would be to grant that a door fhould be fet open for Diabolonians in Man→ foul, to hatch and plot and bring to pafs treasonable designs, to the grief of my Father and Me, and to the utter def truction of Manfoul." (a) · Looth-to-stoop When Mr. Loth-to-stoop had heard this anfwer, he took his leave of EMANUEL, departs and departed, faying, that he would carry word to his mafter concerning this whole affair. So he departed, and came to Diabolus in Manfoul, and told him the whole of the matter; and how EMANUEL would not admit, no not by any means, that he, when he was once gone out, fhould ever have any thing more to do either in, or with any that are of, the town of Mansoul. When Manfoul and Diabolus had heard this relation of things, they with one confent concluded to use their beft endeavours to (a) Man's total departure from God is undeniably evidenced in the refiftance finners make to the gospel of free grace and mercy. This conduct grieves the holy Spirit. But the Redeemer is almighty to fave, tho' devils and men oppose. The Lord waits to be gracious, May he see of the travail of his foul, and rejoice in his work! camp. to keep EMANUEL out of Manfoul; and fent old Illpaufe, of whom you have heard before, to tell the Prince and his captains fo. So the old gentleman came up to the top of Ear-gate, and called to the camp for a hearing; who when they gave audience, he faid, I have in comA fpeech of old mandment from my high lord to bid you tell Ill-paufe to the it to your prince EMANUEL, that Manfoul, and their king, are refolved to ftand and fall together, and that it is in vain for your Prince to think of ever having Manfoul in his hand, unless he can take it by force.' So fome went and told EMANUEL what old Ill-pause, a Diabolonian in Manfoul, had faid. Then faid the Prince, I muft try the power of my fword, Eph. vi. 17. for I will not (for all the rebellions and repulfes that Manfoul has made against me) raise my fiege and depart, but will affuredly take my Manfoul, and deliver it from her enemy. (a) And with that he gave out a commandment, that captain Boanerges, captain They must fight. Prepara Conviction, captain Judgment, and captain Execution, fhould march forthwith up to Ear-gate, with trumpets founding, colours flying, and with fhouting for the battle. Alfo he would that captain Credence fhould join himfelf in with them: EMANUEL moreover gave orders that captain Good-hope and captain Charity fhouid draw themselves up before Eyegate. He bid also that the rest of his captains and their men fhould place themselves to the best of their advantage against the enemy, round about the town; and all was done as he commanded. Then he bid that the word fhould be given forth, and the word was at that time EMANUEL. Then was an alarm founded, and the battering tions for the battle. (a) Sinful man, in his unconverted state, may be accounted worse than dead; for he not only delights in fin, but fcornfully rejects mercy, thro' the rebellious enmity of his heart. But the Lord, by his word and Spirit, fubdues fin, dethrones Satan, and erects his blessed kingdom in the foul, tering rams were played, and the flings whirled ftones in to the town amain; and thus the battl began. Now Diabolus himself managed the townsmen in the war, and that at every gate; wherefore their resistance was the more forcible, hellish, and offenfive to EMANUEL. Thus was the good Prince engaged and entertained by Diabolus and Manfoul for feveral days together; ad a fight worth seeing it was, to behold how the captains of SHADDAI behaved themfelves in the war. (a) Boanerges plays the man. And firft for captain Boanerges (not to undervalue the reft), he made three most fierce affaults, one after another, upon Ear-gate, to the fhaking of the posts thereof. Captain Conviction alfo made up as faft with Boanerges, as poffibly he could; and both difcerning that the gate began to yield, they commanded that the rams fhould ftill be played against it. Now captain Conviction going up very near to the gate, was with great force driven back, and received three wounds in his mouth; and those that rode reformades,* went about to encourage the captains. Conviction wounded. * Angels: For the valour of the two captains made mention of before, the Prince fent for them to his pavilion; and commanded that awhile they fhould reft themselves, and that with somewhat they thould be refreshed. Care was also taken for captain Conviction, that he should be healed of his wounds; the Prince alfo gave them a chain of gold, and bid them yet be of good courage. Nor did captain Good-hope nor captain Charity come behind in this moft defperate fight, for they too fo behaved themselves at Eye-gate, that they had almoft broken it Good-hope and quite (a) The captains are gofpel minifters: they preach the word; man's total depravity by the fall; the excellency and suitableness of Chrift, who faves the vileft finners; and the fulness, freeness, and preciousness of his finished salvation. The holy Spirit ftrikes conviction to the foul thro' the word, and points the alarmed finner to Emanuel for peace and falvation. quite open. These had alfo a reward from their Prince, as alfo had the rest of the captains, because they did valiantly round about the town.. Captain Boaft ing flain. Captain Seeure flain. In this engagement, feveral of the officers of Diabolus were flain, and fome of the townfmen wounded, for among the officers there was one captain Boafting flain. This Boafting thought that nobody could have fhaken the poft of Ear-gate, nor have fhaken the heart of Diabolus. Next to him there was one captain Secure flain; this Secure used to say, that the blind and lame in Manfoul were able to keep the gates of the town against EMANUEL's army, 2 Sam. v. 6. This captain Secure did captain Conviction cleave down the head with a two-handed fword, when he himself received three wounds in the mouth. (a) Befides, there was one captain Bragman, Captain Brag- a very defperate fellow, and he was captain man flain. over a band of those that threw firebrands, arrows, and death; he alfo received, by the hand of captain Good-hope at Eye-gate, a mortal wound in the breaft. Surt. There was moreover one Mr. Feeling, but Mr. Feeling he was no captain, but a great ftickler to encourage Manfoul to rebellion; he received a wound in the eye by the hand of one of Boanerges's foldiers, and had by the captain himself been flain, but that he made a fudden retreat. Will-be-will hurt. But I never faw Will-be-will so daunted in all my life; he was not able to do as he was wont; and fome fay he also received a wound in the leg, and that some of the men in the Prince's army had certainly feen him limp as he afterwards walked on the wall. I fhall not give you a particular account of the names of the foldiers that were maimed, wounded, and (a) It is the property of grace, to fet before the foul it's true but dreadful state, to deftroy falfe dependance, and to caft down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itfelf against the knowledge of God, a Cor. x. 5. May this take effect in every heart! |