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place, and leave it to you but Manfoul is none of them.

• To conclude: We dread you not, we fear you not, nor will we obey your fummons: our gates we will keep fhut against you, our place we will keep you out of; nor will we long thus fuffer you to fit down before us. Our people muft live in quiet: your appearance doth disturb them, Luke xi. 21. wherefore, arife with bag and baggage, and be gone, or we will let fly from the walls * Flefh. against you. (a)

This oration, made by old Incredulity, was feconded by defperate Will-be-will, in words to this effect:

be-will.

The Speech of Gentlemen, We have heard your demand, the lord Will- and the noise of your threats, and heard the found of your fummons; but we fear not your force, we regard not your threats, but we will abide as you found us. And we command you, that in three days time you ceafe to appear in thefe parts, or you fhall know what it is once to dare to offer to roufe the lion Diabolus, when afleep in the town of Manfoul.

The recorder, whofe name was Forget-good, he alfo The fpeech of added as followeth: Gentlemen, my lords, Forget-good, the as you fee, have with mild and gentle words recorder. anfwered your rough and angry fpeeches; they have moreover, in my hearing, given you leave quietly to depart as you came: wherefore take their kindness, and be gone. We might have come out with force upon you, and have caufed you to feel the dint of our fwords: but

as

(a) That obstinacy and rebellion, which is fo deeply rooted in the hearts of natural men, is a powerful inftrument of Satan against the reception of the gofpel. While finners are fuffered to go on unmolefted in the devil's high way to deftruction, all feems well with them: the prophets, too, prophefy smooth things, and unregenerate people love to have it fo. But when the word comes with power to the heart, Satan's kingdom shakes, falfe peace gives place to godly forrow for fin, the rebellious will is fubdued, and "every high thought is brought into captivity to the obedience of Chrift," 2 Cor. x, 5: O bieffed and defirable change!

as we love ease and quiet ourselves, fo we love not to hurt or moleft others. (a)

The town re

folved to with ftand the caps

tains.

Then did the town of Manfoul fhout for joy as if by Diabolus and his crew fome great advantage had been obtained over the captains. They alfo rang the bells, and made merry, and danced upon the walls.

Diabolus alfo returned to the caftle, and the lord mayor and recorder to their places: but the lord Will-bewill took special care that the gates fhould be fecured with double guards, double bolts, and double locks and bars. And that Ear-gate, especially, might be the better looked to (for that was the gate, in at which the King's forces fought most to enter), the lord Will-be-will made one old Mr. Prejudice (an angry and ill-conditioned fellow) captain of the ward at that gate; and put under his power fixty men, called deaf-men; men advan- The band of tageous for that fervice, forafmuch as they deaf-men fet mattered no words of the captains, nor of the foldiers. (b)

to keep Ear

gate.

The captains refolved to give

them battle.

Now when the captains heard the answer of the great ones, and that they could not get an hearing from the old natives of the town, and that Manfoul was refolved to give the King's army battle; they prepared themselves to receive them, and to.

try

(a) Forgetfulness of our true ftate, and difregard of the commands of God and his ways, lull the foul into carnal fecurity, and plunge multitudes into deftruction and per dition; the reason of this is given by our Lord: "They will not come to me, that they might have life," John v. 40.because their minds being eftranged from God, they love darkness rather than light; and will, till the Lord the enlightening Spirit work a faving change.

(b) Be men ever fo deaf to the inviting calls of Christ in the word, how blind foever they may remain to fpiritual things while forrounded with the fhining light of the gofpel; yet the time is haftening on apace, when that inestimable treasure the Bible, which they now defpife, will be a fwift witness against them they will then, overwhelmed with def pair, utter that doleful lamentation, Prov. v. 12. " How have we hated inftruction, and our heart defpifed reproof !" &c. Let wilful finners take timely warning. K

No. 3.

gun.

Two guns planted upon

try it out by the power of the arm. And, first, they made their force more formidable against Ear-gate; for they knew, that unless they could penetrate that, no good could be done upon the town. This done, they put the rest of their men in their places. After which, they gave out the word, which was, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. (a) Then they founded the trumpet: then The battle be- they in the town made the anfwer, with fhout against fhout, charge against charge, and fo the battle began. Now they in the town had planted upon Manfoul, over EarEar-gate. gate, two great guns, the one called Highmind, and the other Heady. Unto thefe two guns they trusted much; they were caft in the castle by Diabolus's founder, whofe name was Mr. Puff-up: and mischievous pieces they were. (b) But fo vigilant and watchful were the captains when they faw them, that though fometimes their hot would go by their ears with a whiz, yet they did them no harm. By these two guns, the townsfolk made no question but greatly to annoy the camp of SHADDAI, and well enough to fecure the gate'; but they had

not

(a) Notwithstanding modern Nicodemufes may attempt to metaphorize away the spiritual meaning of thefe words, it is undeniably true, that as we must be born into the natural world, before we can partake of the beneficial influences of the fun that gives warmth and light to it; fo likewise must all be born anew, by the quickening operation of the Holy Ghost, into the fpiritual world, before they can know, believe in, love, or obey, Chrift the Sun of righteousness, and fhare in the bleffings of his kingdom. See John iii. This indifpenfable præ-requifite is too little attended to.

(b) How many do we every day behold, especially among the rich and great, who, thro' pride and vain conceit, contemn Jefus and his bleffed falvation; accounting all his followers as fools or madmen! But almighty grace is able to bring even these mountains low, while it exalts the vallies, the humble and fuppliant publican. A learned, perfecuting Saul was, in the day of God's power, made a chofen vessel, But the day of vengeance is at hand, when defpifers will wonder and perish; and "all that are incenfed against Christ shall be ashamed," Ifa. xlv. 24.

not much cause to boast of what execution they did, as from what follows will be gathered.

The famous Manfoul had alfo fome other fmad pieces in it, of the which they made ufe against the camp of SHADDAI.

They from the camp alfo did as floutly, and with as much of that as may in truth be called valour, let fly as fast at the town, and at Ear-gate; for they faw, that unlefs they could break open Ear-gate, it would be but in vain to batter the wall. Now the King's The fentence captains had brought with them feveral and power of flings, and two or three battering-rams; with their flings, therefore, they battered the houfes and people of the town, and with their rams they fought to break Ear-gate open.

the word.

The camp and the town had several skirmishes and brifk encounters; while the captains, with their engines, made many brave attempts to break open or beat down the tower that was over Ear-gate, and at the said gate to make their entrance: but Manfoul ftood it out fo

The town

luftily, through the rage of Diabolus, the ftoutly stands valour of the lord Will-be-will, and the out, and the conduct of old Incredulity the mayor, and captains return Mr. Forget-good the recorder, that the to their wincharge and expence of that fummer's wars (on the King's fide) seemed to be almost intirely loft, and the advantage to return to Manfoul: (a) but when the captains faw how it was, they made a fair retreat, and

ter-quarters.

intrenched

(a) The oppofition made to the work of grace by a raging devil, and inbred lufts and corrupt affections, his affociates and coadjutors, is fo great, that the most able minifters (tho' refolving, by divine affiftance, to spend and be spent in the fervice) are fometimes almoft ready to give over the conteft, as defpairing of fuccefs; and complain, with their Lord, "Who bath believed our report; and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" Ifa. liii. 1. But they perfeveringly rely on those sweet and encouraging words of promife: "Behold, I am with you always," Matt. xxviii. 20. and “All that the Father giveth me, SHALL come to me," John vi. 37.

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An account of

intrenched themselves in their winter-quarters. Now in this war, you must needs think there was much lofs on both fides, of which be pleased to take this brief account following.

this war, with reference to the

lofs on both

fides.

The three new foldiers.

The King's captains, when they marched from the court to come agninft Manfoul to war, as they came croffing over the country, they happened to light upon three young men that had a mind to go for foldiers; proper men they were, and men of courage (and fkill) to appearance. Their names were Mr. Tradition. Mr. Human Wifdom, and Mr. Man's Invention. So they came up to the captains, and proffered their fervice to SHADDAI. The captains then told them of their defign, and bid them not to be rafh in their offers; but the young men told them, that they had confidered the thing before, and that hearing they were upon their march for such a defign, came hither on purpose to meet them, that they might be lifted under their excellencies. Then captain Boanerges, for that they were men of courage, lifted them into his company, and fo away they went to the war.

Now when the war was begun, in one of the brifkeft fkirmishes, fo it was, that a company of the lord Will-bewill's men fallied out of the fally ports, or pofterns of the town, and fell in upon the rear of captain Boanerges's men, where these three fellows happened to be, so he They are tatook them prifoners, (a) and away they carken prisoners.

ried

(a) Thus it will ever be with falfe profeffors, who have any other foundation than Chrift Jefus; "in time of temptation, they fall away," Luke viii. 13. When violently affaulted by Satan, or their carnal appetites, they bafely yield, and are taken captive by the enemy.- -Not fo with those whom fovereign grace has enlifted under the banner of Jefus: they, being divinely ftrengthened with might in their inner man, grow ftronger and stronger; and, leaning on the holy and omnipotent arm of the Captain of their falvation, are by him led triumphantly on to Zion, in spite of fin, hell, and death; "fuch honour have all his faints!" PI, cxlix. 9:

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