The King re Now the King, at the fight of the peticeives it with tion, was glad; but how much more, think gladness. you, when it was feconded by his Son! It pleased him also to hear that his fervants, who encamped against Manfoul, were fo hearty in the work, and fo ftedfaft in their refolves, and that they had already got fome ground upon the famous town of Manfoul. The King calls his Son, and tells him that he fhall go to conquer the town of Manfoul; and he is pleased at it. Wherefore the King called to him EMANUEL his Son, who faid, Here am I, my Father. Then faid the King, Thou knoweft, as I do myself, the condition of Manfoul, and what thou hast done to redeem it. (a) Come now therefore, my Son, and prepare thyfelf for the war, for thou fhalt go to my camp at Manfoul: thou fhalt alfo there profper and prevail, and conquer the town of Manfoul. He folaceth himfelf in the thoughts of his work. Then faid the King's Son, "Thy law is within my heart: I delight to do thy will, Heb. x. This is the day that I have longed for, and the work that I have waited for all this while. Grant me therefore what force thou shalt in thy wisdom think meet; and I will go, and will deliver from Diabolus, and from his power, thy perishing town of Manfoul. My heart has been often pained within me, for the miferable town of Manfoul: but now it is rejoiced, but now it is glad; and with that he leaped over the mountains for joy, faying, I have not in my heart thought any thing too dear for Manfoul; the day of vengeance is in mine heart for thee, my Manfoul; and glad am I that thou, my Father, haft made me the captain of their falva tion, (a). The great worth of souls is evident from the infinite price paid for their ranfom, the blood of God, Acts xx. 28. Hence the dear minifters of Chrift are inceffantly urging repentance towards God, and faith in Jefus, as the means in the hand of the Spirit: they, in their Master's name, "Proclaim falvation for a guilty race, Undone by nature, but redeem'd by grace- tion, Heb. ii. 10. And I will now begin to plageu all that have been a plague to my town of Manfoul, and I will deliver it from their hands. (a) you The highest peers in the kingdom covet to go on this When the King's Son had faid thus to his Father, it prefently flew like lightning round about at court: yea, it there became the only talk, what EMANUEL was to go to do for the famous town of Manfoul. But defign. cannot think how the courtiers too were taken with this defign of the Prince; yea, fo affected were they with this work, and with the juftnefs of the war, that the highest lord and greatest peer of the kingdom coveted to have commiffions under EMANUEL, to go and help to recover again to SHADDAI that miserable town of Manfoul, Then was it concluded that some should go and carry tidings to the camp, that EMANUEL was to come to recover Manfoul; and that he would bring along with him fo mighty, fo impregnable a force, that he could not be refifted. But Oh! how ready were the high ones at court to run like lacquies to carry these tidings to the camp that was at Manfou!! Now when the captains perceived that the The camp fhout King would fend EMANUEL his Son, and for joy, when that it alfo delighted the Son to be fent on, they hear the tidings. this errand by the great SHADDAI his Father; they also, to fhew how they were pleafed at the thoughts of his coming, gave a fhout that made the earth rend at the found thereof; yea, the mountains answered the echo, and. Diabolus himself tottered and fhook. Now (a) The Lord's own arm brings falvation. As Bp. Hall obferves, "when the inward call of the Spirit accompanies the outward call of the word, the foul readily complies, and prefently yields obedience to the voice of God.-When Chrift fpeaks by his Spirit to our hearts, Satan fhall not hold us down, the world fhall not keep us back; but we fhall arife and follow our Lord and Mafter." See Ifa, Ixiii. 5. and Luke xix, 6. their Now you must know, that tho' the town of Manfoul itfelf was not much, if at all, concerned with the project (for, alas for them! they were wofully befotted, for they chicfly regarded their pleasure and lufts), yet Diabolus Diabolus afraid governor was, for he had his fpies con at the news of tinually abroad, who brought him intellihis coming. gence of all things; and they told him what was doing at court against him, and that EMANUEL would certainly come fhortly with a power to invade him. Nor was there any man in court, nor peer of the kingdom, that Diabolus fo feared, as he feared this Prince: for, if you remember, I fhewed you before, that Diabolus had felt the weight of his hand already; fo that fince it was he that was to come, this made him fore afraid. Well, you see how I have told you that the King's Son was engaged to come from the court to fave Manfoul, (a) and that his Father had made him captain of the forces: the time therefore for his fetting forth being now expired, he addreffed himself for the march; and taken with him, for his power, five noble captains and their forces. (b) The Prince addreffes him felf for his journey. 1. The first was that famous captain, the noble captain Credence; his were the red colours, and Mr. Promife bare them, John i. 29, Eph. vi. 16: and for an efcutcheon he had the holy Lamb and golden fhield; and he had ten thousand men at his feet." 2. The fecond was that famous captain, the captain Good Hope; his were the blue colours, Heb. vi. 19. His ftandard-bearer was Mr. Expectation; and for an efcutcheon (a) Behold, ye wretched, what almighty Love has done, and can do: "The Saviour comes, by antient feers foretold Pope's MESSIAH. (b) The powerful influences, gifts, and graces of the holy Spirit; faith, hope, love, goodness, patience, humility, heavenly-mindednels, &c. efcutcheon he had Three Golden Anchors; and he had ten thousand men at his feet. 3. The third was that valiant captain, the captain Chaity, I Cor. xiii. His ftandard-bearer was Mr. Pitiful; his were the green colours, and for his efcutcheon he had Three Naked Orphans embraced in the bofom; and he had ten thousand at his feet. 4. The fourth was that gallant commander, the captain Innocent, Mat. x. 16. His ftandard-bearer was Mr. Harmlefs; his were the white colours; and for his efcutcheon he had Three Golden Doves. 5. The fifth was the truly loyal and well-beloved captain, the captain Patience: his ftandard-bearer was Mr. Suffer-long; his were the black colours, and for an escutcheon he had Three Arrows thro' a Golden Heart. These were EMANUEL's captains, thefe Faith and pa their standard-bearers, their colours, and tience do the efcutcheons, and thefe the men under their work. command, Heb. vi. 21. So, as was faid, the brave Prince took his march, to go to the town of Mansoul. Captain Credence led the van, and captain Patience brought up the rear. So the other three, with their men, made up the main body. The Prince himself rode in his chariot at the head of them. But when they fet out for their march, Oh. Their march how the trumpets founded, their armour towards Manglittered, and how the colours waved in the foul. wind! The Prince's armour was all gold, and it fhone like the fun in the firmament. The captains' armour was of proof, and was in appearance like the glittering ftars. There were alfo fome from the court that rode reformades, for the love that they had to the King SHADDAI, and for the happy deliverance of the town of Manfoul. (a) EMANUEL (a) The Lord our adorable Redeemer's praife will be the delightful and everlating theme of faints and angels: his heart and hands are now full of bleffings for his people; but The holy Bible, containing 66 books. EMANUEL alfo, when he had thus fet forwards to go to recover the town of Manfoul, took with him, at the command of his Father, fifty-four battering-rams, and twelve flings to whirl ftones withal. Every one of these was made of pure gold; and these they carried with them in the heart and body of their army, all along as they went to Manfoul. (a). The forces So they marched till they came within less than a league of the town; and there they lay till the first four captains came thither, to acquaint them with matters. Then they took their journey to go to the town of Manfoul, and unto Manfoul they came; but when the old joined with re- foldiers, that were in the camp, faw that joicing. they had new forces to join with, they again gave fuch a fhout before the walls of Manfoul, that it put Diabolus into another fright. So they fat down before the town, not now as the other four captains did, to wit, against Manfoul be the gates of Manfoul only, but they environed leaguered it round on every fide, and befet it behind and before; fo that now, let Manfoul look which way it would, it faw force and power lie in fiege against it. Befides, there were mounts calt up against Mounts caft up it; the mount Gracious was on the one fide, and mount Juftice on the other. Farther, there were feveral small banks and advance grounds, as Plain-truth Hill, and No-fin Banks, where many of the flings were placed against the town. Upon mount Gracious were planted four, and upon mount Juftice were round. against it. placed but when his glorious work fhall receive it's full accomplishment in the heavenly manfions, "No figh, no murmur, his elect shall hear, MESSIAH. (a)" Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," Rom. x. 17. Chrift, as the Saviour of loft finners, is the fum and substance of the Bible. "Search the fcriptures," John v. 39. they are the grand inftrument of converfion and falvation, through the bleffed Spirit's powerful influence. |