This therefore was accordingly done: My Lord Willhe-will hearken'd to his Lord and Mafter, went willingly after his Commandment, and with all the Diligence he could, kept auy that would, from going out abroad, or that fought to bring thefe Tidings to Manfoul, from coming into the Town. A new Oath impofed. Secondly, This done, in the next place, To wit, That they fhould never desert him, nor his Government, nor yet betray him, nor feek to alter his Laws: But that they fhould own, confefs, ftand by, and acknowledge him for their rightful King, in Defiance to any that do, or hereafter fhall, by any Pretence, Law, or Title whatsoever, lay Claim to the Town of Manfoul, a. xxviii. 15. Thinking belike that Shaddat had not Power to abfolve them for this Covenant with Death, and Agreement with Hell. Nor did the filly Manfoul tick or boggle at all at this moft monftrous Engagement, but as if it had been a Sprat in the Mouth of a Whale, they vallowed it without any chewing. Were they troubled at it? Nay, they rather bragged and boafted of their fo brave Fidelity to the Tyrant their pretended King, fwearing that they would never be Changlings, nor forfake their Old Lord for a New. Odious Athe iftical Pamphlets and filthy Ballads and Romances full of Thus did Diabolus tie poor Manfoul faft, but Jealoufy that never thinks itfelf ftrong enough, put him in the next Place upon another Exploit, which was yet more, if poffible, to debauch this Town of Manfoul: Wherefore he caufed by the Hand of one Mr. Filth, an odious, nafty, lafcivious Piece of Beaftliness to be drawn up in Writing, and fet upon the Gates, whereby he granted and gave Licence to all his true and trufty Sons in Mansoul, to do whatsoever their luftful Appetites prompted them to do, and that no Man was to let, hinder, or controul them, upon Pain of incurring the Difpleasure of their Prince. Ribaldry. No *་ Now this he did for thefè Reasons : 1. That the Town of Manfoul might Reafons for his be yet made weaker and weaker,. and fo thus doing. more unable, fhould Tidings come, that their Redemption was defigned; to believe, hope, or confent to the Truth thereof. For Reafon fays, The bigger the Sinner, the lefs Ground or Hope of Mercy. 2. The fecond Reafon was, If perhaps Emanuel, the Son of Shaddai their King, by feeing the horrible and prophane Doings of the Town of Manfoul, might repent, though entered into a Covenant of redeeming them, of purfuing that Covenant of their Redemption; for he knew that Shaddai was Holy, and that his Son Emanuel was Holy, yea, he knew it by woeful Experience: For, for the Iniquity and Sin of Diabolus, was he caft from the highest Orbs. Wherefore what more rational than for him to conclude, that thus for Sin it might fare with Manfoul: But fearing left alfo this Knot fhould break, he bethinks himself of another, to wit: 3. Thirdly, to endeavour to poffefs all Hearts in the Town of Manfoul, that Shaddai was raifing of an Army, to come to overthrow, and utterly to deftroy the Town of Manfoul (and this he did to foreftall any Tidings that might come to their Ears, of their Deliverance) for thought he, if I firft fpread this abroad, the Tidings that might come after, will all be fwallowed up of this; for what elfe will Manfoul fay, when they shall hear that they must be delivered, but that the true Meaning is, Shaddai intends to destroy them? Wherefore he fummons the whole Town into the Market-place, and there with deceitful Tongue, thus he addreffes himself unto them. The Place of Confidering. Gentlemen, and my very good Friends, Hearing and of you are all as you know my Legal Subjects, and Men of the famous Town of Manfoul; you know how from the first Day that I have been with you until now, I have behaved myself among you, and what Liberty, and great Privileges, you have enjoyed under my Government, I hope to your Honour, and and mine, and also to your Content and Delight: Now, my famous Manfoul, a Neife of Trouble there is Abroad, of Trouble to the Town of Manfoul, Sorry I am therefore for your Sakes. For I received but now by the, Poft, from my Lord Lucifer, (and he useth to have good Intelligence) That your old King Shaddai, is raising of an Army to come against you, to deftroy you Root and Branch: And this, O Manfoul! is now the Caufe, that at this Time I have called you together; namely, to advise what in this functure is beft to be done. For my Part, I am. but one, and can with Eafe fhift for myself, did I lift to feek my own Eafe, and to leave my Manfoul in all Danger: But my Heart is fo firmly united to you, and fo unwilling am I to leave you, that I am willing to ftand and fall with you, to the utmost Hazard that shall befal me. What fay you? my Manfoul! will you now defert your old Friend; or, do you think of ftanding by me? Then as one Man, with one Mouth, they cried out together, Let him die the Death that will not. 0 Then faid Diabolus again, 'Tis in vain for us to hope for Quarter, for this King knows not how to fhere it : True, perhaps, he at his first fitting down before us, will talk of, and pretend to MerVery deceiv cy, that thereby with the more Eafe, and ing Language. lefs Trouble, he may again make himself the Mafter of Manfoul; whatever therefore he should fay, believe not one Syllable or Tittle of it, for all fuch Language is but to overcome us, and to make us while we wallow in our Blood, the Trophies of his merciless Victory. My Mind is therefore, that we refolve to the last Man, to refift him, and not to believe him on any Terms. For in at that Door will come our Danger. But fall we be flattered out of our Lives? I hope you know more of the Rudiments of Politicks than to fuffer your felves fo pitifully to be Served 1 that But fuppofe he fhould, if he get us to yield, fave fome of our Lives, or the Lives of fome of them that are Underlings in Manfoul, what Help will that be to you the are the Chief of the Town, efpecially you whom I hav fet up, and whofe Greatnefs has been procured by yo through Lying Language. through your faithful sticking to me? And fuppofe again, that he fhould give Quarter to every one of you, be fure he will bring you into that Bondage under which you were captivated before, or a worse, and then what good will your Lives do you? Shall you with him live in Pleasure, as you do now? No, no, you must be bound by Laws that will pinch you, and be made to do that, which at prefent is hateful to you? I am for you, if you are for me, and it is better to die valiantly, than to live like He is afraid of lofing Manfour. He puts them upon Arming themselves. 1 pitiful Slaves, But I fay, the Life of a Slave will be accounted a Life too good for Manfoul now. Blood, Blood, nothing but Blood is in every Blaft of Shaddai's Trumpet against poor Manfoul now: Pray be concerned, I hear he is coming up, and stand to your Arms, that now while you have any Leifure, I may learn you fome Feats of war. Armour for you I have, and by me it is; yea, and it is fufficient for Mansoul, from Top to Toe; nor can you be hurt by what his Force can do, if you shall keep it well girt and fastened about you: Come therefore to my Castle and welcome, and harness yourfelves for the War. There is Helmet, Breaft plate, Sword, Shield, and what not, that you will fight like Men. }. My Helmet, otherwife called an HeadHis Helmet. piece, is Hope of doing well at last, what Lives foever you live, Deut. xxix. 19. This is that which they had, who faid, that they should have Peace, tho' they walked in the Wickedness of their Heart, to add Drunkenness to thirft; a Piece of approv'd Armour is this, and whoever has it, and can hold it, fo long no Arrow, Dart, Sword, or Shield, can hurt him; this therefore keep on, and thou wilt keep off many a Blow, my Mansoul. His Breaft-plate. 2. My Breaft-plate is a Breaft-plate of Iron, Rev. ix. 9. I had it forged in mine own Country, and all my Soldiers are armed therewith; in plain Language it is an Hard-Heart, an Heart as hard as Iron, and as much paft feeling as a Stone; the which if you get and keep, neither Mercy fhall win you, nor Judgment Light you. This therefore is a Piece of Armour, moft neceffary for all to put on that hate Shaddai, and that ould fight against him under my Banner. 3. My Sword is a Tongue that is fet on Fire of Hell, PJ. lvii. 4. and Ixiv. 3 Jam. His Sword. . And that can bend itself to speak Evil of Shaddai, his Son, his Ways, and People; ufe this, it has been tried a thousand times twice told; whoever hath it, keeps it, and makes that Use of it as I would have him, can ever be conquered by mine Enemy. His Shield. 4. My Shield is Unbelief, Job xv. 26. FfIxxvi. 3. Mark vi. 5. 6. or calling into Queftion the Truth of the Word, or all the Sayings that fpeak of the Judgment that Shaddai has appointed for wicked Men, ufe this Shield; many Attempts he has made upon it, and sometimes, 'tis true, it has been bruifed, but they that have writ of the Wars of Emanuel against my Servants, have teftified that he could do no mighty Work there, because of their Unbelief: Now to handle this Weapon of mine aright, it is not to believe Things because they are true, of what Sort, or by whomfoever afferted; if he speaks of Judgment, care not for it; if he fpeaks of Mercy, care not for it; if he promifes, if he swears that he would do to Manfoul, if it turns, * Hurt but Good, regard not what is faid, queftion the ruth of all; for it is to wield the Shield of Unbelief aright, and as my Servants ought and do: And he that does otherwife loves me not, nor do I count him but an Enemy to me. 5. Another Part or Piece, faid Diabolus, of mine excelent Armour is, a dumb and Prayerlefs Spirit, a Spirit that fcorns to cry for Mercy; wherefore be you my Manful, fure that you make use of this: What! cry for Quarter? Never do that, if you would be mine; I know you ftout Men, and am fure that I have clad you with hat which is Armour of Proof; wherefore to cry to haddai for Mercy, let that be far from you: Befides all this, I have a Maul, Fire-brands, Arrows, and Death, all good Hand Weapons, and fuch as will do Execution. After he had thus furnished his Men with Armour and |