Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

their king, fhould he come to reduce them to their former obedience.

Grief at court

Now the tidings-teller did not deliver his to hear the tid- relation of things in private, but in open ings. court, the King and his Son, high lords, chief captains, and nobles, being all there prefent to hear. But by that they had heard the whole of the ftory, it would have amazed one to have seen, had he been there to behold it, what forrow and grief, and compunction of fpirit, there was among all forts, to think that the famous Manfoul was now taken: only the King and his Son forefaw all this long before, yea, and fufficiently provided for the relief of Manfoul, tho' they told not every body thereof. Yet, because they too would have a fhare in condoling the mifery of Manfoul, therefore they also did, and that at a rate of the higheft degree, bewail the lofing of Manfoul. The King faid plainly, that "it grieved him at the heart," Gen. vi. 5, 6. and you may be sure that his Son was not a whit behind him. Thus they gave conviction to all about them, that they had love and compaffion for the famous town of Manfoul. (a) Well, when the King and his Son were retired into the privy-chamber, they there again confulted about what they had designed before,

to

(a) For ever be admired the riches of God's grace in Chrift Jefus, that tho' inexorable justice might have left all mankind in their ruined ftate, to reap in eternal misery the fruit of their apoftafy; yet in his unmerited mercy he found a glorious ranfom for the heirs of falvation! We may well fay,

"What tongue can speak thy comprehensive grace!
What thoughts thy depths unfathomable trace!
When loft in fin our ruin'd nature lay,
When awful juftice claim'd her righteous pay!
See the mild SAVIOUR bend his pitying eye,
And stops the lightning juft prepar'd to fly !"

BOYSE.

What abundant reason has every object of this mercy to adopt the words of the apoftle, in rapturous ftrains of praife, "Verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but the feed of Abraham!" Heb. ii. 16.

a r

The fecrets of his purpose.

The Son of God.

to wit, That as Manfoul fhould in time be fuffered to be loft; fo as certainly it should be recovered again. Recovered, I fay, in fuch a way, as that both the King and his Son would get themselves eternal fame and glory thereby. Wherefore, after this confultation, the Son of SHADDAI (a fweet and comely perfon, and one that had always great affection for those that were in affliction, but one that had mortal enmity in his heart against Diabolus, because he was defigned for it, and because he fought his crown and dignity, Ifaiah xlix. 5. 1 Tim. i. 15. Hof. xiii. 14.); this Son of SHADDAI, I fay, having ftricken hand with his Father, and promised that he would be his fervant to recover Manfoul again, ftood by his refolution, nor would he repent of the fame. The purport of which agreement was this, to wit, That A brave defign at a certain time, prefixed by both, the King's fet on foot for Son fhould take a journey into the country of Universe, and there in a way of justice and equity, by making amends for the follies of Manfoul, he fhould lay the foundation of her perfect deliverance from Diabolus, and from his tyranny.

the town of Manfoul.

[ocr errors]

Ghoft.

Moreover, Emanuel refolved to make, at a time convenient, a war upon the giant Diabolus,* even By the Holy while he was poffeffed of the town of Manfoul; and that he would fairly, by strength of hand, drive him out of his hold, his neft, and take it to himself, to be his habitation. (a)

This

(a) This glorious display of the divine benignity is beautifully delineated by an eminent poet:

"Yes, from my bofom my Belov'd I give,
That my loft creatures may return, and live:
He, for your fakes, fhall lay his glory by,

For

you be born and fuffer, gafp and die;
The price of guilt my Holy one shall pay,
And tread of death and hell the bittereft way."
BROOKE'S Redemption.

[ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

tures.

a

The holy fcrip- This being now refolved upon, order was given to the lord chief Secretary,' to draw up fair record of what was determined, and to cause that it fhould be published in all the corners of the kingdom of Universe. A fhort breviat of the contents thereof, you may, if you please, take here as follows:

Let all men know, who are concerned, The contents. that the Son of SHADDAI, the great King, is engaged, by covenant to his Father, to bring his Manfoul to him again; yea, and to put Manfoul too, through his love, into a far better and more happy "condition than it was in before it was taken by Dia'bolus.'

These papers, therefore, were publifhed in feveral places, to the no little moleftation of the tyrant Diabolus; for now, thought he, I fhall be molested, and my habitation will be taken from me.

But when this matter, I mean this purpose of the King and his Son, did at firft take air at court, who can tell how the high lords, chief captains, and noble princes that were there, were taken with the business! Firft, They whispered to one another, and after that it began to ring throughout the King's palace, all wondering at the glorious defign (a) that between the King and his Son was on foot for the miferable town of Manfoul: yea, the courtiers could scarcely

* Among the angels.

do

(a) If angels, on this joyful occafion, this new creation, could proclaim, "Glory be to God in the highest; and on earth peace, good-will towards men!" (Luke ii. 4.) how much greater caufe have the redeemed, who are the proper fubjects of this great falvation, to begin their triumphant fong, and, with humble adoration, blefs God for his free, unmerited, and inestimable gift of a precious Saviour!

"O wondrous grace, unask'd, divine, and free,
Lodg'd in the womb of vaft eternity!
Maturing time unfolds th' amazing plan,
Completes and opens what LOVE firft began."

do any thing, either for the king or kingdom, but they would mix, with the doing thereof, a noife of the love of the King and his Son, that they had for the town of Manfoul.

Nor could thefe lords, high captains, and princes, be content to keep this news at court; yea, before the records thereof were perfected, themselves came down and told it in Universe. At laft it came to the ears, as I faid, of Diabolus, to his no little difcontent; for plexed at the you must think it would perplex him to hear of fuch a defign against him. Well, but after a few cafts in his mind, he concluded upon these four things:

Diabolus per

[ocr errors]

First, That this news, thefe good tidings (if poffible) fhould be kept from the ears of the town of Manfoul; (a) He concluded for, faid he, if they fhould once come to the on feveral knowledge, that SHADDAI their former things. King, and Emanuel his Son, are contriving good for the town of Manfoul, what can be expected by me, but that Manfoul will revolt from under my hand and government, and return again to him?

Now to accomplish this his defign, he renews his flattery with my lord Will-be-will, and alfo gives him ftrict Firft, how to charge and command, that he fhould keep keep the news watch by day and night at all the gates of the from Manfout. town, efpecially Ear-gate and Eye-gate: for I hear of a defign, quoth he, a defign to make us all traitors, and that Manfoul must be reduced to it's firft bondage again. I hope

(a) It is the bufinefs of the reftlefs enemy of fouls to keep men ignorant of their loft ftate, left the light of the glorious gofpel fhould fhine into their minds: for finners will not feek for help till they know their danger; nor for a cure, till they feel their difeafe. The word of God makes the difcovery: the holy Spirit opens, and makes it effectual. For want of fearching the fcriptures, and attending the worfhip of God, the. greatest part of mankind live and die in their fins, and muft for ever abide under the wrath and curse of God; and Truth itself declares, " Herein is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, but men love darknefs rather than light,—because their deeds are evil," John iii. 19.

The will engaged against the gospel. Good thoughts must be kept out of Manfoul.

I hope they are but flying stories, quoth he; however, let no fuch news by any means be let into Manfoul, left the people be dejected thereat: I think, my lord, it can be no welcome news to you, I am fure it is none to me: and I think, that at this time it should be all our wifdoms and care to nip the head of all fuch rumours as thall tend to trouble our people; wherefore I defire, my lord, that you will in this matter do as I say. Let there be ftrong guards daily kept at every gate of the town. Stop allo and examine from whence fuch come, whom you perceive do come from far hither to trade: nor let them by any means be admitted into Manfoul, unless you fhall plainly perceive that they are favourers of our excellent government. I command moreover, faid Diabolus, that there be spies conthoughts and tinually walking up and down the town of words are to be Manfoul; and let them have power to fupfuppreffed. prefs and deftroy any they fhall fee to be plotting against us, or that fhall prate of what by SHADDAI and EMANUEL is intended. (a)

All good

This therefore was accordingly done: my lord Will-bewill harkened to his lord and mafter, went willingly after his commandment, and, with all the diligence he could, kept any that would from going out abroad, or that sought to bring these tidings to Manfoul, from coming into the

town.

Secondly,

(a) Various are the ways by which Satan captivates the foul; the pleasures, honours, riches, and tumultuous business of life, enflave myriads, and, like a devouring gulf, drown them in perdition, excluding from their minds the knowledge of the bleffed God, and all concern about eternal things.For want of feriously reflecting on our ftate, and viewing it in the glafs of the word, the corruption and madness of man's heart predominates over reason, which, if fuffered to be rightly inftructed by the Spirit of wisdom, would point out the way to duty and happiness. The neceffity and salutary effect of attending to the word of God clearly appears from that fhort admonition in Ifa. lv. 3. "Hear, and your foul fhall live." See alfo Ecclef. ix. 3.

[blocks in formation]
« НазадПродовжити »