might open unto them, and inftruct them in the things that concerned their present and future state; (a) for, faid he, you, of yourselves, unless you have tcachers and guides, will not be able to know, and, if not to know, to be sure not to do, the will of my Father, Jer. x. 23. Cor. ii. 14.

The common

At this news, when the elders of Manfoul brought it to the people, the whole town good thoughts. came running together (for it pleased them

well, as whatever the Prince now did, pleased the people,) and all with one confent implored his Majefty, that he would forthwith establish such a miniftry among them, as might teach them both law and judgment, ftatute and commandment; that they might be documented in all good and wholfome things. So he told them he would grant their requests; and would establish two among them, one that was of his Father's court, and one that was a native of Manfoul.

He that is from the court, faid he, is a The Holy Spirit. perfon of no lefs quality and dignity than my Father and I, 2 Pet. i. 21. 1. Cor. ii. 1o. John i. 1. v. 7. And he is the Lord chief Secretary of my Father's houfe; for he is, and always has been, the chief dictator of all my Father's laws; a perfon well fkilled in all myfteries, and knowledge of myfteries, as is my Father, or as myself is. Indeed he is one with us in nature, and also as to loving of, and being faithful to, and in the eternal concerns of, the town of Manfoul.

And this is he, faid the Prince, that must be your chief teacher; for 'tis he, and he only, that can teach you clearly in all high and fupernatural things: he, and he only, it is, that knows the ways and methods of my Father's court; nor can any, like him, fhew how the heart of my Father is at all times, in all things, upon all occafions, towards

(a) The Spirit of all wisdom, truth, and grace, influencing the confcience,

Bbz

towards Manfoul; for, "as no man knows the things of a man, but the spirit of a man which is in him," John xiv. 26. xvi. 13. 1 John ii. 27; fo the things of my Father knows no man, but this his high and mighty Secretary; nor can any (as he) tell Manfoul how and what they shall do, to keep themselves in the love of my Father. He also it is that can bring loft things to your remembrance, and that can tell you things to come. This teacher, therefore, must have the preheminence (both in your affections and judgment) before your other teacher; his perfonal dignity, the excellency of his teaching, alfo the great dexterity that he hath to affift you to make and draw up petitions to my Father for your help, and to his pleafing, muft lay obligations upon you to love him, fear him, and to take heed that you grieve him not, 1 Theff. i. 5, 6. This Perfon can put life and vigour into all he fays; yea, and can also put it into your heart, Acts xxi. 10, II. This Perfon can make feers of you, and can make you tell what shall be hereafter, Jude 20. Eph. vi. 18. Rom. viii. 16. Rev. ii. 7, 11, 17, 29. Eph. iv. 30. Ifaiah Ixiii. 10. By this Perfon, you must frame all your petitions to my Father and Me; and without his advice and counfel firft obtained, let nothing enter into the town or caftle of Manfoul, for that may disgust and grieve this noble Person.(a)

The office of the Holy Spirit.

Take heed, I fay, that you do not grieve this minister; for if you do, he may fight against you; and fhould he once be moved by you to fet himself against you in battle array, that will distress you more than if twelve legions fhould be fent from my Father's court to make war upon

you.

But (as I faid) if you fhall hearken unto him, and shall love him; if you fhall devote yourselves to his teaching,

and

(a) Our Lord says, John xvi. 13. "When he the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he fhall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he fpeak: and he will shew you things to come.”

and fhall feek to have converfe, and to main communion with him; you fhall find him ten times better than is the whole world to any, 1 Cor. xiii. 14. Rom. v. 5. Yea, he will fhed abroad the love of my Father in your hearts, and Manfoul will be the wifest and most bleffed of all people.

Then did the Prince call unto him the old Confcience gentleman, who afore had been the recorder made a minisof Manfoul, Mr. Confcience by name, and ter told him, that forasmuch as he was well skilled in the law, and government of the town of Manfoul, and was also well fpoken, and could pertinently deliver to them his Master's will in all terrene and domestic matters, therefore he would also make him a minifter for, in, and to the goodly town of Manfoul, in all the laws, ftatutes, and judgments of the famous town of Manfoul. And thou muft, faid the Prince, confine thyfelf to the teaching of moral virtues to the civil and natural duties; but thou must not attempt or presume to be a revealer of those high and fupernatural myfteries that are kept clofe in the bofom of SHADDAI my Father, for those things knoweth no man, nor can any reveal them but my Father's Secretary only. Thou art a native of the town of Manfoul, but the Lord Secretary is a native with my Father; wherefore, as thou haft knowledge of the laws and cuftoms of the corporation, so he of the things and will of my Father.

Wherefore, Oh Mr. Confcience, although I have made thee minister and a preacher to the town of Manfoul, yet as to the things which the Lord Secretary knoweth, and fhall teach to this people, there thou must be his fcholar, and a learner, even as the rest of Manfoul are. (a) Thou muft, therefore, in all high and fupernatural things, go to him for information; for though there be a spirit in man, this Perfon's infpiration must give him understanding,

(a) Confcience must be in fubordination to the all-wife Spirit of God.

ing, Job xxviii. 8. Wherefore, O thou Mr. Recorder, be humble, and remember, that the Diabolonians, that kept not their firft charge, but left their own ftanding, are now made prisoners in the pit. Be therefore content with thy ftation.

Manfoul.

I have made thee my Father's vicegerent on His power in earth, in fuch things of which I have made mention before. And take thou power to teach them to Manfoul, yea, and to impofe them with whips and chastisements, if they fhall not willingly hearken to do thy commandments. And, Mr. Recorder, because thou art old and feeble, therefore I give thee leave and licence to go when thou wilt to my fountain, my conduit,. and there to drink freely of the blood of my grape, (a) for my conduit doth always run wine, Heb. ix. 14. Thus doing, thou shalt drive from thy heart and ftomach all foul, grofs, and hurtful humours. It will alfo lighten thine eyes, and ftrengthen thy memory for the reception and keeping of all that the King's most noble Secretary

teacheth.

When the Prince had thus put Mr. Recorder (that once fo was) into the place and office of a minifter of Manfoul, and the man had thankfully accepted thereof, then did EMANUEL addrefs himself to the townsmen themselves.

The Prince's

foul.

Behold (faid the Prince to Manfoul) my fpeech to Mar- love and care towards you; I have added to all that is past this mercy, to appoint you preachers, the most noble Secretary, to teach you in all Tublime myfteries; and this gentleman (pointing to Mr. Confcience) is to teach you in all things human and domeftic, for therein lieth his work. He is not, by what I have faid, debarred of telling to Manfoul any thing that he hath heard from the lord high Secretary; only he fhall

(a) We have continual need of the application of Chrift's atoning blood, through the eternal Spirit, to pardon fin, and purify the confcience.

fhall not attempt, or prefume to pretend, to be a revealer of those high, myfteries himself; for the breaking of them up, and the discovery of them to Manfoul, lieth only in the power, authority, and fkill of the lord high Secretary himfelf. Talk of them he may, and so may the reft of the town of Manfoul, as they have opportunity, prefs them upon each other for the benefit of the whole. These things I would have you. obferve and do; for it is for your life, and the lengthening of your days. (a)

A licence to

Manfoul.

And one thing more to my beloved town of Manfoul: You must not dwell in, nor ftay upon, any thing of that which he hath in commiffion to teach you as to your trust and expectation of the next world: of the next world, I fay; for I propose to give another to Mansoul, when this with them is worn out, but for that you must wholly and folely have recourse to, and make ftay upon his doctrine, that is your teacher after the first order. Yea, Mr. Recorder himself muft not look for life from that which he himfelf revealeth; his dependence for that must be founded in the doctrine of the other preacher. Let Mr. Recorder alfo take heed that he receive not any doctrine, or point of doctrine, that is not communicated to him by his fuperior Teacher, nor yet within the precincts of his own formal knowledge.'

He gives them caution about the captains.

Now after the Prince had thus fettled things in the famous town of Manfoul, he proceeded to give the elders of the corporation a neceffary caution, to wit, how they fhould carry it to the noble captains that he had fent or brought with him, from his Father's court, to the famous town of Mansoul. These captains, faid he, love the town of Manfoul, and they are men picked out of abundance, as men that best

fuit,

(a) From obedience to God's commands, true happiness flows. 1