Mansoul came to him into the castle to mourn, weep, and lament for their wickedness, by which they had forced him out of the town. So they, when they were come, bowed themselves to the ground seven times, they also wept, they wept aloud, and asked forgiveness of the prince, and prayed that he would again, as of old, confirm his love to Mansoul. To which the great prince replied, "Weep not, but go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, Immanuel comforts and send portions to them for whom the inhabitants nought is prepared, for "the joy of your Mansoul. Lord is your strength." I am returned to Mansoul with mercies, and my name shall be set up, exalted, and magnified by it." He also took these inhabitants, and kissed them, and laid them in his bosom.*

of

Moreover, he gave to the elders of Mansoul, and to each town-officer, a chain of gold and a signet. He also sent to their wives ear-rings and jewels, and bracelets, and other things. He also bestowed upon the true-born children of Mansoul many precious things.

When Immanuel the prince had done all these things for the famous town of Mansoul, then he said unto them, "First, wash your garments, then put on your ornaments, and then come to me into the castle of Mansoul," Eccles. ix.

8. So they went to the fountain that was set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in; and there they washed, and there they made their garments white, and came again to the prince into the castle, and thus they stood before him, Zech. xiii. 1; Rev. ii. 14, 15.

And now there was music and dancing throughout the whole town of Mansoul; and that because their prince had again granted to them his presence, and light of his countenance; the bells also rung, and the sun shone comfortably upon them for a great while together.

The town of Mansoul also now more thoroughly sought the destruction and ruin of all remaining Diabolonians, that abode in the walls, and the dens (that they had in the town of Mansoul,) for there was of them that had to this day escaped with life and limb from the hand of their sup pressors in the famous town of Mansoul.

But my Lord Will-be-will was a greater terror to them now than ever he had been before, forasmuch as his heart was yet more fully bent to seek, contrive, and pursue them to the death; he pursued them night and day, and put them now to sore distress, as will afterwards appear.

After things were thus far put into order in the famous town of Mansoul, care was taken, and order given by the

"The joy of the Lord is our strength;" when this is possessed there will be double diligence in searching out and destroying our sins.

dead.

Orders given blessed prince Immanuel, that the townsmen out to bury the should without further delay, appoint some to go forth into the plain to bury the dead that were there; the dead that fell by the sword of Immanuel, and by the shield of Captain Credence, lest the fumes and ill savours that would arise from them, might infect the air, and so annoy the famous town of Mansoul. This also was a reason of this order, to wit, that as much as in Mansoul lay, they might cut off the name and being and remembrance of those enemies from the thought of the famous town of Mansoul and its inhabitants.

been slain.

So order was given out by the lord-mayor, that wise and trusty friend of the town of Mansoul, that persons should be employed about this necessary business; and Mr Godly-fear, and one Mr Upright were to be overseers about this matter; so persons were put under them to work in the fields, and to bury the slain that lay dead in the plains. The burial of And these were their places of employment; the Diabolonian some were to make the graves, some were Doubters that had to bury the dead, and some were to go to and fro in the plains, and also round about the borders of Mansoul, to see if a skull or a bone, or a piece of a bone of a Doubter, was yet to be found above-ground any where near the corporation; and if any were found, it was ordered that the searchers that searched should set up a mark thereby and a sign that those that were appointed to bury them might find it, and bury it out of sight, that the name and remembrance of a Diabolonian Doubter might be blotted out from under heaven. And that the children and they that were to be born in Mansoul might not know (if possible) what a skull, what a bone or a piece of a bone of a Doubter was. So the buriers, and those that were appointed for that purpose, did as they were commanded; they buried the Doubters, and all skulls and bones, and pieces of bones of Doubters, wherever they found them, and so they cleansed the plains. Now also Mr God's-peace took up his commission, and acted again as in former days.

Thus they buried in the plains about Mansoul, the Election Doubters, the Vocation-Doubters, the Grace-Doubters, the Perseverance-Doubters, the Resurrection-Doubters, the Salvation-Doubters, and the Glory-Doubters, whose captains were, Captain Rage, Captain Cruel, Captain Damnation, Captain Insatiable, Captain Brimstone, Captain Torment, Captain No-ease, Captain Sepulchre, and Captain Past-hope and old Incredulity was under Diabolus their general; there were also the seven heads of their army, and they were the Lord Beelzebub, the Lord Lucifer, the Lord Legion, the Lord Apollyon, the Lord Python, the Lord Cerberus, and the Lord Belial. But the princes and

231

all made ain by the the men of is is before Mansoul: heir arms,

weapons

ike;) they with the Could find

but are surThe examinaof the Doubtried, convicted

e-hill, with cended the while consustained into a pasat they susthey presThe tyrant relves to have it a bout with ansoul.

at they had y day even ed with the with all the ed to make 1 that by an nd partly of ke of both.t

e and love were the succeeding r. The design ist, contrary to being infinitely ably pernicious

19.) the author at carnal mind al of man. Here religion which, godly, in Christ

230

Orders gi

out to bury dead.

were ther and by the ill savours and so ani a reason o lay, they brance of town of M So orde and trusty should be Godly-fea this matte the fields,

The buria
the Diabo
Doubters tha
been slain.

borders of
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where nea

ordered th

mark there

bury them

name and be blotted and they t (if possible of a Doubt pointed for they buried ces of bon so they cl took up his Thus the tion Doubte the Perseve Salvation-I tains were, tion, Captai ment, Capt Past-hope: general; th and they w Lord Legic Lord Cerbe

the captains, with old Incredulity 'their general, all made their escape; so their men fell down upon the slain by the power of the prince's forces, and by the hands of the men of the town of Mansoul. They also were buried, as is before related to the exceeding great joy of the town of Mansoul: they that buried them, buried also with them their arms, which were cruel instruments of death (their weapons were arrows, darts, mauls, firebrands, and the like;) they buried also their armour, colours, and banners, with the standard of Diabolus, and what else soever they could find that did but smell of a Diabolonian Doubter.*

CHAPTER XVII.

A new army of Bloodmen, or Persecutors, attack the town, but are surrounded by the Mansoulians, headed by Faith and Patience. The examination of some of the leaders. Evil-questioning entertains some of the Doubters, but is discovered by Diligence. The principal Doubters tried, convicted and executed.

Now when the tyrant was arrived at Hell-gate-hill, with his old friend Incredulity, they immediately descended the den, and having there with their followers for a while condoled their misfortune, and the great loss they sustained before the town of Mansoul, they fell at length into a passion, and revenged they would be for the loss that they sustained before the town of Mansoul; wherefore they presently call a counsel to contrive yet further The tyrant rewhat was to be done against the famous town solves to have of Mansoul; for their yawning paunches yet a bout with could not wait to see the result of their Lord Lucifer's and their Lord Apollyon's counsel that they had given before, their raging gorge thought every day even as long as a short for-ever, until they were filled with the body and soul, with the flesh and bones, and with all the delicacies of Mansoul. They therefore resolved to make another attempt upon the town of Mansoul, and that by an army mixed, and made up partly of Doubters and partly of Blood-men. A more particular account now take of both.†

Mansoul.

* Thus was the victory completed. All doubts of God's grace and love were utterly destroyed; and pains were taken that, if possible, the succeeding generation might never be plagued with the name of a Doubter. The design of all this is to show that doubt an à distress of the love of Christ, contrary to the declarations of his word, should be utterly suppressed, as being infinitely dishonourable to our faithful covenant with God, and unspeakably pernicious to our own souls.

By Blood-men, (or bloody-men, so called Psalm cxxxix. 19.) the author seems to intend Persecutors; men under the power of that carnal mind which is enmity against God, and against his image in the soul of man. Here a new set of enemies arise, and may signify that opposition to religion which, more or less, every christian must expect, for "they who live godly, in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution."