千

them, and that will difguft him much. This, if it works well, will quickly make them leave off their way of fending petitions to him; then farewel earneft folicitations for help and fupply; for then this conclufion lies naturally before them, " As good do nothing, as to do to no purpofe." (a) So they unanimously approved of Mr. De ceit's advice.

The advice

Deceit.

Then the next queftion was, But how fhall we do to bring our project to pafs? And it was answered by the fame gentleman, that this might be the best way to do it: Even let, quoth he, fo many of our friends, given by Mr. as are willing to venture themselves for the promoting of their prince's caufe, disguise themselves with apparel, change their names, and go into the market like far-country men, and proffer themselves for fervants to the famous town of Manfoul, and let them pretend to do for their mafters as beneficially as may be: for by fo doing they may, if Manfoul fhall hire them, in little time fo corrupt and defile the corporation, that her now Prince fhall be not only further offended with them, but in conclufion fpue them out of his mouth. And when this is done, our prince Diabolus fhall prey upon them with eafe; yea, of themselves, they shall fall into the mouth of the eater.

This project was no fooner propounded, but was as readily accepted, and forward were all Diabolonians now to engage in the enterprife: but it was not thought fit that all fhould do thus; wherefore they pitched on two or three, namely, the lord Covetoufnefs, the lord Lafcivioufnefs, and the lord Anger: the lord Covetoufnefs called himself by the name of Prudent-thrifty; the lord Lafcivioufnefs called himself by the name of Harmless-mirth; and the lord Anger called himself by the name of Good

zeal.

So

(a) As believers live by prayer; fo the neglect of it is extremely hurtful.

2

So upon a market-day they came into the market-place; three lufty fellows they were to look on, and they were cloathed in sheeps-ruffet, which was now in a manner as white as the robes of the men of Mansoul. Now the men

could fpeak the language of Manfoul well: fo when they came into the market-place, and offered themselves to the townfmen, they were prefently entertained; for they afked but little wages, and promised to do their masters great fervice.

Mr. Mind hired Prudent-thrifty, and Mr. Godly-fear hired Good-zeal. True, this fellow Harmless-mirth hung a little in hand, and could not fo foon get a mafter as the others did, because the town of Manfoul was now in Lent; but after a while, because Lent was almost out, lord Willbe-will hired Harmless-mirth to be both his waiting-man and his lacquey; and thus they got them mafters. (a)

Covetoufnefs,

and anger work mifchief in the town of Man

foul.

These villains, being now got into the houses of the men of Manfoul, quickly began to lafcivioufnefs, do great mifchief therein; for, being filthy, arch, andfly, they quickly corrupted the families where they were; yea, they tainted their masters much, especially this Prudent-thrifty, and him they called Harmless-mirth. True, he that went under the vifor of Good-zeal was not fo well liked by his master, who quickly found that he was but a counterfeit rafcal; which when the fellow perceived, he with speed made his escape from the houfe, or I doubt not but his mafter had hanged him.

When thefe vagabonds had thus far carried on their defign, and corrupted the town as much as they could, in the next place they confidered with themselves, at what time their prince Diabolus without, and themfelves within the town, should make an attempt to feize upon Manfoul; and they all agreed upon this, that a market-day would

(a) Light talk or behaviour is as deftructive to peace, as vice itfelf: what is not of faith, and to the glory of God, is finful, and pernicious to the foul.

would be the beft for that work; because then the townsfolk will be bufy in their ways: and always take this for a rule, "when people are moft bufy in the world, they leaft fear a surprise." We alfo then, faid they, thall be able with lefs fufpicion to gather our felves together for the work of our friends and lords; yea, on fuch a day should we attempt our work, and mifs it, we may, when they give us the rout, the better hide ourselves in the croud, and escape.

The Diabolo

nians fend another letter to

Diabolus.

Having thus far agreed upon these things, they wrote another letter to Diabolus, and fent it by the hand of Mr. Profane; the contents of which were these :

"The lords of Loofenefs fend to the great and high Diabolus, from our dens, caves, holds, and ftrong holds, in and about the wall of the town of Manfoul, Greeting.

"Our great lord, and the nourifher of our lives, Diabolus; how glad we were, when we heard of your fatherhood's readiness to comply with us, and to forward our defign, in attempting to ruin Manfoul; none can tell but thofe, who, as we do, fet themfelves against all appearance of good, when and wherefoever we find it, Rom. vii. 21. Gal. v. 17.

"Touching the encouragement that your Greatness is pleafed to give us, to continue to devife, contrive and ftudy the utter defolation of Manfoul, that we are not folicitons about; for we know right well, that it cannot, but be pleafing and profitable to us, to fee-our enemies, and them that feek our lives, die at our feet, or fly before us. We therefore are ftill contriving, to the belt of our cunning, to make this work moft facile and eafy to your lordship, and

to us.

"First, we confidered of that most hellifhly cunning, compacted, threefold project, (a) that by you was pro pounded

(a) Covetoufnefs, lafcivioufnefs, anger; which are earthly, fenfual, devilish.

An army of Doubters propofed to be fent against Man

foul.

pounded to us in our laft; and have concluded, that though to blow them up with the gunpowder of pride would do well, and to do it by tempting them to be loose and vain, will help on, yet to contrive to bring them into the gulf of defperation, we think will do beft of all. Now we who are at your beck, have thought of two ways to do this: first, we, for our parts, will make them as vile as we can, and then you with us, at a time appointed, fhall be ready to fall upon them with the utmost force. And of all the nations that are at your whiftle, we think that an army of Doubters may be the most likely to attack and overcome the town of Manfoul. (a) Thus fhall we overcome thefe enemies, elfe the pit fhall open her mouth upon them, and defperation fhall thrust them down into it. We have alfo, to effect this our fo much wifhed defign, fent already three of our trufty Diabolonians among them; they are disguised in garb, have changed their names, and are now accepted of them, to wit, Covetoufnefs, Lafcivioufnefs, and Anger. The name of Covetoufness is changed into Prudent-thrifty, and him Mr. Mind has hired, and is almost become as bad as our friend. Lafci vioufnefs has changed his name to Harmless-mirth, and he is got to be the lord Will-be-will's lacquey; but he has made his mafter very wanton. Anger changed his name into Good-zeal, and was entertained by Mr. Godly-fear, but the peevish old gentleman took pepper in the nofe, and turned our companion out of his house: nay, he has informed us fince, that he ran away from him, or else his old mafter had hanged him for his labour. Now these have much helped forward our work and defign upon Manfoul; for notwithstanding the fpite and quarrelfome temper of the old gentem laft mentioned, the other two ply their bufine well, and are likely to ripen the work apace. "Our

(4) Doubting and diftruft are the offspring of unbelief, and dishonourable to the God of truth, who ever waiteth to be gracious.

No. 7.

Gg

"Our next project is, that it be concluded that you come upon the town upon a market-day, and that when they are upon the heat of their business; for then to be fure they will be most secure, and leaft think that an af fault will be made upon them. They will alfo at fuch a time be less able to defend themselves, and to offend you' in the profecution of our defign. And we your trusty (and we are fure your beloved) ones fhall, when you make your furious affault without, be ready to fecond the bufinefs within. So fhall we in all likelihood be able to put Manfoul to utter confufion, and swallow them up before they can come to themselves. If your ferpentine heads, most fubtle dragons, and our highly efteemed lords, can find out a better way than this, let us quickly know your minds.

To the monfters of the infernal cave, from the house of Mr. Mischief in Manfoul, by the hand of Mr. Profane."

The fad ftate of

Now all the while that the raging runnagades, and hellish Diabolonians were thus contriving the ruin of the town of Manfoul, they, to wit, the poor town itself, Manfoul. was in a fad and woful cafe, partly because. they had fo grievoufly offended SHADDAI and his Son, and partly becaufe that the enemies thereby got ftrength within them afresh, and alfo becaufe, though they had by many petitions made fuit to the Prince EMANUEL, and to his Father SHADDAI by him, for their pardon and favour, yet hitherto obtained they not one fmile; but contrariwife, through the craft and fubtlety of the domestic Diabolonians, their cloud was made to grow blacker and blacker, and their EMANUEL to ftand at further diftance. (a) The fieknefs alfo ftill greatly raged in Manfoul, but among the captains, and the inhabitants of the town, their enemies,

(a) Thus fin brings diftrefs of foul, grieves the holy Jefus, ́ Arengthens corruptions, and, perfifted in, renders prayer ineffectual. If you love your own soul, have none of the accurfed thing within your tabernacles.