come down.

Incredulity. “Sir, you forget that you are under a governor, and that you ought to demean yourself like a subject; and know ye, when my lord the king shall hear of this day's work, he will give you but little thanks for your labour.'

Now while these gentlemen were thus in Men of arms their chiding words, down come from the

walls and gates of the town the lord Willbe-will, Mr. Prejudice, old Ill-pause, and several of the new-made aldermen and burgesses; and they asked the reafon of the hubbub and tumult. And with that every man began to tell

his own tale, so that nothing could be heard distinctly. Then was filence commanded, and the old fox Incredulity began to speak : My, lord, quoth he, here are a couple of peevith gentlemen, that have, as a fruit of their bad dispositions, and, as I fear, thro' the advice of one Mr. Discontent, tumultuously gathered this company against this day; and also attempted to run the town into acts of rebellion against our prince.' (a)

Then stood up all the Diabolonians that were present, and affirmed thefe things to

be true. Now when they that took part with my lord Understanding, and with Mr. Conscience, perceived that they were like to come by the worst, for that force and power was on the other side, they came in for their help and reliet; fo a great company was on both sides. Then they on Incredulity's side would have had the two old gentlemen presently away to prison; but they on the other side said they should not. Then they began to cry up parties again : the Diabolonians cry up old Incredulity, Forgetgood, the new aldermen, and their great one Diabolus;

and

A great confu.

fion.

(a) When Satan, the strong man armed, is losing his. power by the holy Spirit's enlivening influences on the heart, touched with a sense of danger, and sending up a cry for mercy; then unbelief and guilty fears intrude, to oppose the work. But all in vain: for before Zerubbabel every mountain shall become a plain, the Lord alone be exalted, and glory crown what grace began,

and the other party as fast cried up SHADDAI, the cap-
tains, his laws, their 'mercifulness, and applauded their
conditions and ways. Thus the bickerment
went a while : at last they passed from words They fall, from

.
to blows, and now there were knocks on
both sides. The good old gentleman Mr. Conscience
was knocked down twice by one of the Diabolonians,
whose name was Mr. Benumbing. And my lord Under-
standing had like to have been slain with an barquebus,
but that he that had shot, failed to take his aim aright,
Nor did the other side wholly escape : for there was one
Mr. Rash-head, a Diabolonian, that had his brains beaten
out by one Mr. Mind, the lord Will-be-

A hot skirmish.
will's servant: and it made me laugh to see
how old Mr. Prejudice was kick'd

and tumbled about in
the dirt : for though a while since he was made a captain
of the Diabolonians, to the hurt and damage of the town,
yet now they had got him under their feet : and I'll allure
you, he had, by some of the lord Understanding's party,
his crown crack'd to boot. (a) Mr. Any-thing allo be-
came a brisk man in the broil; but both sides were against
him, because he was tr

Yet he had, for his malapertness, one of his legs broken ; and he that did it, wished it had been his neck. Much harm

Harm done on
more was done on both sides : but this must

both sides.
not be forgotten, it was now a wonder to
fee
my

lord Will-be-will so indifferent as he was ; he did
not seem to take one side more than another, only it was
perceived that he smiled to see how old Prejudice was tum
bled up and down in the dirt; also when captain Any-
thing came halting up before him, he seemed to take but
little notice of him.

Now

1

to none.

(a) “ The carnal mind is enmity against God,” Rom. viii. 7. But it is the peculiar office of the divine Spirit, to destroy the enmity, and root' out prejudice; to enlighten the understanding, that the ways of the wise God may be manifested, that they are holy, just, and good,

in pri:

Now when the uproar was over, Diabo. The two old

lus sends for my lord Understanding and Mr. gentlemen put in prison, as the Conscience, and claps them both

up authors of this son, as the ringleaders and managers of this revel-rout.

inof heavy riotous rout in Mansoul. So now the town began to be quiet again, and the prisoners

were used hardly ; yea, he thought to have made them - away, but that the present juncture did not serve for that

purpose, for that war was in all their gates. But let us return to our story: The captains, when they were gone back from the gate, and were come into the camp again, The captains

called a council of war, to consult what was call a council, further for them to do. Now fome said, and consult Let us go presently and fall upon the town; what to do.

but the greatest part thought, rather better ?twould be to give them another summons to yield; and the reason why they thought this to be the best, was, because that, so far as could be perceived, the town of Mansoul now was more inclinable than heretofore. (a) And if, said they, while some of them are in a way of inclination, we should by ruggedness give them diftafte, we may fet them further from closing with our fummons, than we would be willing they should.

Wherefore to this advice they agreed, and The result is,

called they send ano

a trumpeter, put words into his mouth, trumpeter, set him his time, and bid him God speed, to fummon the Well, many hours were not expired, before town to yield.

the trumpeter addressed himself to his jour. ney. Wherefore, coming up to the wall of the town, he steered his course to Ear-gate ; and there founded, as he was commanded. They then that were within, came

ther

out

a) The Lord rejoices in his work begun, ftill waits to be gracious, and lovingly invites finners to Jesus, the fource of all blessedness and peace :

“ Oye that stray, by fires false-glaring led,

In vice deep-funk, coinpanions of the dead,
The light approach; to the strait paths repair,
See
your
falvation, your

Redeemer hear!
" Come, all ye weary, by your woes oppressid,
I will refresh you, I will give you rest,

Matt. xi. 28.

7

Lord Understanding XM:Conseyence in prison, as Ringleaders of the Brokers in the Torn'of. Hansout.