Secretary of my Father's house; for he is, and always has been, the chief dictator of all my Father's laws, a person well skilled in all mysteries, and knowledge of mysteries, as is my Father or as myself is. Indeed he is one with us in nature, and also as in loving of, and being faithful to, and in the eternal concerns of, the town of Mansoul.

"And this is he," said the Prince, "that must be your chief teacher; for 'tis he, and he only, that can teach you clearly in all high and supernatural things. He, and he only, it is that knows the ways and methods of my Father's court, nor can any, like him, show how the heart of my Father is at all times, in all things, upon all occasions, towards Mansoul; for, as no man knows the things of a man, but the spirit of a man which is in him,' so the things of my Father knows no man but this his high and mighty Secretary.* Nor can any, as he, tell Mansoul how and what they shall do to keep themselves in the love of my Father. He also it is that can bring lost things to your remembrance, and that can tell you things to come. This teacher, therefore, must have the pre-eminence, both in your affections and judgment, before your other teacher; his personal dignity, the excellency of his teaching, also the great dexterity that he hath to assist you to make and draw up petitions to my Father for your help and to his pleasing, must lay obligations upon you to love him, fear him, and to take heed that you grieve him not.†

"This Person can put life and vigour into all he says: yea, and can also put it into your heart. This Person can make seers of you, and Isa. lxiii. 10. can make you tell what shall be hereafter. By this Person you must frame all your petitions to my Father and Me; and without his advice and

* But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John xiv. 26. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself: but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. John xvi. 13. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 1 John ii. 27.

† For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost. Thess. i. 5, 6.

And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. Acts xxi. 11. But ye, beloved,

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counsel first obtained, let nothing enter into the town or castle of Mansoul, for that may disgust and grieve this noble Person.

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"Take heed, I say, that you do not grieve this minister for if he may fight against you; and should he once be moved by you to set himself against you in battle-array, that will distress you more than if twelve legions should be sent from my Father's court to make war upon you. "But, as I said, if you shall hearken unto him, and shall love him; if you shall devote yourselves to his teaching, and seek to have converse, and to maintain communion with him, you shall find him ten times better than is the whole world to any; yea, he shall shed abroad the love of my Father in your hearts, and Mansoul will be the wisest and most blessed of people."

2 Cor. xiii. 14. Rom. v. 5.

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Then did the Prince call unto him the old gentleman, who afore had been the Recorder of Mansoul, Mr. Conscience by name, and told him, that forasmuch as he was well skilled in the law and government of the town of Mansoul, and was also well spoken, and could pertinently deliver to them his Master's will in terrene and domestic matters, therefore he would also make him a minister for, in, and to the goodly town of Mansoul, in all the laws, statutes, and judgments of the famous town of Mansoul. And thou must," said the Prince, "confine thyself to the teaching of moral virtues, to the civil and natural duties; but thou must not attempt or presume to be a revealer of those high and supernatural mysteries that are kept close in the bosom of Shaddai, my Father; for those things knoweth no man, nor can any reveal them but my Father's Secretary only. Thou art a native of the town of Mansoul, but the Lord Secretary is a native with my Father; wherefore, as thou hast knowledge of the laws and customs of the corporation, so he of the things and will of my Father.

"Wherefore, O Mr. Conscience, although I have made thee minister and a preacher to the town of Mansoul, yet as to the things which the Lord Secretary knoweth, and shall teach to this people, there thou must be building up yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. Jude 20. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Eph. vi. 18. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Rom. viii. 16. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. Rev. ii. 17. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Eph. iv. 30.

his scholar, and a learner, even as the rest of Mansoul are. Thou must therefore, in all high and supernatural things, go to him for information; for though there be a spirit in man, this Person's inspiration must give him understanding.* Wherefore, O thou Mr. Recorder, be humble, and remember, that the Diabolonians, that kept not their first charge, but left their own standing, are now made prisoners in the pit. Be therefore content with thy station.

"I have made thee my Father's vicegerent on earth, in such things of which I have made mention before. And take thou power to teach them to Mansoul, yea, and to impose them with whips and chastisements, if they shall not willingly hearken to thy commandments. And, Mr. Recorder, because thou art old and feeble, therefore I give thee leave and license to go when thou wilt to my fountain, my conduit, and there to drink freely of the blood of my grape, for my conduit doth always run wine.† Thus doing, thou shalt drive from thy heart and stomach all foul, gross, and hurtful humours. It will also lighten thine eyes, and strengthen thy memory for the reception and keeping of all that the King's most noble Secretary teacheth.”

Body.

When the Prince had thus put Mr. Recorder (that once so was) into the place and office of a minister of Mansoul, and the man had thankfully accepted thereof, then did Emanuel address himself to the townsmen themselves.

"Behold," said the Prince to Mansoul," my love and care towards you; I have added to all that is past, this mercy, to appoint you preachers; the most noble Secretary to teach you in all sublime mysteries; and this gentleman," pointing to Mr. Conscience, "is to teach you in all things human and domestic, for therein lieth his work. He is not, by what I have said, debarred of telling to Mansoul any thing that he hath heard from the lord high Secretary; only he shall not attempt, or presume to pretend, to be a revealer of those high mysteries himself; for the breaking of them up, and the discovery of them to Mansoul, lieth only in the power, authority, and skill of the lord high Secretary himself. Talk of them he

* And unto men he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. Job xxviii. 28.

+ How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works, to serve the living God Heb. ix. 14,

may; and so may the rest of the town of Mansoul, as they have opportunity, press them upon each other for the benefit of the whole. These things I would have you observe and do; for it is for your life, and the lengthening of your days.

And one thing more to my beloved town of Mansoul: You must not dwell in, nor stay upon any thing of that which he hath in commission to teach you as to your trust and expectation of the next world: of the next world I say; for I propose to give another to Mansoul, when this with them is worn out; but for that you must wholly have recourse to, and make stay upon his doctrine, that is your teacher after the first order. Yea, Mr. Recorder himself must not look for life from that which he himself revealeth; his dependence for that must be founded in the doctrine of the other preacher. Let Mr. Recorder also take heed that he receive not any doctrine, or point of doctrine, that is not communicated to him by his superior Teacher, nor yet within the precincts of his own formal knowledge."

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Now, after the Prince had thus settled things in the famous town of Mansoul, he proceeded to give the elders of the corporation a necessary caution, to wit, how they should carry it to the noble captains that he had sent or brought with him from his Father's court, to the famous town of Mansoul. "These captains," said he, "love the town of Mansoul, and they are men picked out of abundance, as men that best suit, and that Graces picked will most faithfully serve in the wars of Shaddai against the virtues. Diabolonians, for the preservation of the town of Mansoul. I charge you, therefore," said he, "O ye inhabitants of the now flourishing town of Mansoul, that you carry it not untowardly to my captains or their men; since they are picked and choice men,-men chosen out of many for the good of the town of Mansoul. I say, I charge you, that you carry it not untowardly to them: for though they have the hearts and faces of lions, when at any time they shall be called forth to engage and fight with the King's foes, and the enemies of the town of Mansoul, yet a little discountenance cast up them from the town of Mansoul, will deject and cast down their faces, will weaken and take away their courage. Do not, therefore, carry it unkindly to my valiant captains and courageous men of war, but love them, nourish them, succour them, and lay them to your bosoms, and they will not only fight

Satan cannot weaken our graces, ourselves may.

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