the light, he became as one that was born blind. To this houfe my lord was confined, as to a prifon; nor might

he, upon his parole, go further than within his own bounds.

And now, had he had an heart to do for Mansoul, what could he do for it, or wherein could he be profitable to her? So then, so long as Manfoul was under the power and government of Diabolus (and fo long it was under him, as it was obedient to him; which was even until by a war it was refcued out of his hand); fo long my lord mayor was rather an impediment in, than an advantage to, the famous town of Manfoul.

The recorder

As for Mr. Recorder, before the town was taken, he was a man well read in the laws of

put out of place. his King, and also a man of courage and faithfulness to speak truth on every occafion; and he had a tongue as bravely hung, as he had an head filled with judgment. Now this man, Diabolus could by no means abide, because, tho' he gave his confent to his coming into the town, yet he could not, by all wiles, trials, ftratagems, and devices that he could ufe, make him his own. True, he was much degenerated from his former king, and alfo much pleased with the giant's fervice, and many of his laws. But this would not do, forafmuch as he was not He fometimes wholly his; he would now and then think fpeaks for the upon SHADDAI, and have a dread of his law arft King. upon him, and then he would speak against Diabolus with a voice as great, as when a lion roareth: (a) yea, and would alfo at certain times, when his fits were

upon

(a) The grand reason why such multitudes live and die in their fins, and perish everlastingly, is, because they stifle the friendly checks and warnings of confcience, which, if encouraged, might, through divine grace, point the way to felf-knowledge, and an intereft in the Redeemer: but alas! poor, blind, obftinate finners, by miftaking the benevolent end intended by this inward consciousness of good and evil, endeavour, by vain pleasures, to fupprefs all fuch thoughts as might lead them to the momentous duty of confideration;

3

till

upon him (for you must know, that fometimes he had terrible fits), make the whole town of Mansoul shake with his voice; and therefore the new king of Manfoul could not abide him.

Diabolus therefore feared the Recorder more than any that was left alive in the town of Manfoul, becaufe, as I faid, his words did fhake the whole town; they were like the rattling of thunder, and alfo like thunder-claps. Since therefore the giant could not make him wholly his own, what doth he do, but ftudies all that he could to debauch the old gentleman, and, by debauchery, to stupify his mind, and more harden his heart in the ways of vanity. And as he attempted, fo he ac- He is more decomplished his defign: he debauched the bauched than man, and by little and little fo drew him in before. to fin and wickedness, that at last he was not only de bauched as at first, and fo by consequence defiled, but was almost (at laft, I fay) paft all confcience of fin. And this was the fartheft Diabolus could go. Wherefore he bethinks him of another project, and that was, to perfuade the men of the town that Mr. Recorder was mad, and fo not to be regarded. And for this he urged his fits, and faid, If he be himself, why doth he not do thus always? But, quoth he, all mad folk have their fits, and in them raving language; fo hath this old and doating gentleman. Thus by one means or other he quickly got The town taken Manfoul to flight, neglect, and defpife what- off from heedever Mr. Recorder could fay. For, befides ing him.

.

what

till by continuance in fin their confciences are feared as with a hot iron, 1 Tim. iv. 6. But "this is the condemnation," faith our Lord, "that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Such would do well now to listen to the voice of confcience, as the poet advises:

"O give it leave to speak ; For it will speak ere long! O hear it now, While useful it's advice, it's accent mild.”

See the note, p. 14.

YOUNG,

9

How confcience becomes fo ridiculous as with carnal men it is.

what you have already heard, Diabolus had a way to make the old gentleman, when he was merry, unfay and deny what he in his fits had affirmed. (a) And indeed this was the next way to make himself ridiculous, and to caufe that no man fhould regard him. Alfo now he never fpake freely for king SHADDAI, but always by force and conftraint. Befides, he would at one time be hot against that, about which at another he would hold his peace, fo uneven was he now in his doings. Sometimes he would be as if faft afleep, and again fometimes as dead, even then when the whole town of Manfoul was in her career after vanity, and in her dance after the giant's pipe.

Wherefore fometimes, when Manfoul did ufe to be frighted with the thundering voice of the Recorder that was, and when they did tell Diabolus of it, he would anfwer, that what the old gentleman faid was neither out of love to him, nor pity to them, but of a foolish fondnefs that he had to be prating; and fo would hush, still, - and put all to quiet again. And that he might leave no argument unurged that might tend to make them fecure, he faid, and faid it often, Oh ManSatanical rheto- foul! confider, that notwithstanding the old gentleman's rage, and the rattle of his high and thundering words, you hear nothing of SHADDAI himfelf (when, lyar and deceiver that he was, every outcry of Mr.

ric.

(a) Though many unregenerate perfons, thro' a natural tendernefs of difpofition, may make a fair fhew in the flesh, and, like Herod, may hear the word gladly, and alfo do many good works in confequence thereof; yet having no root in themfelves, nor the fear of God in their hearts, they frequently bring a fcandal upon religion by their evil practices at other times, and caufe the good way of the Lord to be blafphemed. To all fuch I would fay, with the apostle, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own felves: know ye not your own felves, how that Jefus Chrift is in you, except ye be reprobates ?"

Mr. Recorder against the fin of Manfoul was the voice of God in him to them). But he goes on, and fays, You fee that he values not the lofs nor rebellion of the town of Manfoul; nor will he trouble himself with calling his town to a reckoning, for their giving themselves to me. He knows, that though ye were his, now you are lawfully mine; fo leaving us to one another, he hath now shaken his hands of us.

*

Satan's flat

teries.

Confcience.

Moreover, Manfoul! quoth he, confider how I have ferved you, even to the uttermoft of my power; and that with the best that I have, could get, or procure for you in all the world: befides, I dare fay, that the laws and cuftoms that you now are under, and by which you do homage to me, do yield you more folace and content than did the paradife that at firft you poffeffed. (a) Your liberty alfo, as yourfelves do very well know, has been greatly. widened and enlarged by me; whereas I found you a pen'd up people, I have not laid any restraint upon you: you have no law, ftatute, or judgment of mine to fright you; I call none of you to account for your doings, except the madman, you know who I mean: I have granted you to live, each man like a prince in his own palace, even with as little controul from me as I have from you.. And thus would Diabolus hush up and quiet the town of Manfoul, when the Recorder that was, did at times moleft them; yea, and with fuch curfed orations as thefe would fet the whole town in

Men fometimes angry with their confcience.

a rage

(a) A delight in fin, and an enmity to God and holiness, are the wretched inheritance of every unconverted perfon; who prefer finful, fleeting pleasures to folid joys, a phantom of happiness to the fountain of life: notwithstanding these vain purfuits, death and judgment are at the door, through fear of which they are all their life-time subject to bondage, Heb, ii. 15. O that Chrift, the only effectual deliverer from evil, would fhew poor finners: the path of life, and break their rocky hearts by his word and Spirit, that the waters of repentance may flow forth, to the praife and glory of his grace!

No. I

a rage and fury against the old gentleman; yea, the rafcally crew at some times would be for deftroying him. They have often wifhed, in my hearing, that he had lived a thousand miles off from them; his company, his words, yea, the fight of him, and especially when they remembered how in old times he did ufe to threaten and condemn them (for all he was now fo debauched), did terrify and afflict them fore.

But all their wishes were vain; for I don't know how, unlefs by the power of SHADDAI, and his wifdom, he was preferved in being amongst them Befides, his house was as ftrong as a caftle, and ftood hard by a strong-hold of the town: moreover, if at any time any of the crew or rabble attempted to make him * Of fears. away, he could pull up the fluices, and let in fuch floods as would drown all round about him.

Ill thoughts.

The will.

But to leave Mr. Recorder, and to come to my lord Will-be- will, another of the famous town of Manfoul. This Will-be-will was as highborn in Manfoul, and was as much, if not more, a freeholder, than many of them were: befides, if I remember my tale aright, he had fome privileges peculiar to himself in the famous town of Manfoul. Now, together with thefe, he was a man of great ftrength, refolution, and courage, nor in his occafion could any turn him away. But I fay, whether he was proud of his eftate, privileges, ftrength, or what (but fure it was through pride of fomething), he fcorns now to be a flave in Manfoul; (a) and therefore refolves to bear

office

(a) All wickedness among men arifes from the rebellion of the will against God's righteous word and way.-Man loft every good by following his own will: he must, in order to regain it, deny himself. Our will is naturally finful, corrupt, perverfe. The adorable Jefus, for our fakes, came not to do his bvr will, John vi. 38, though he knew no fin. May the fame mind be in us! that lo we may be difpofed, by divine grace, to do and fuffer the whole will of God; and no io.g ..ger live in the flesh to the lufts of men, but to the will of God," 1 Pet. iv. 2.