the camp, brake all their loins in pieces! Wherefore with one voice they set up a cry that reached up to the heavens. This done, each of the three prepared himself to die (and the Recorder said unto them, 'This was the * Confcience. thing that I feared), for they concluded, that

to-morrow, by that the fun went down, they should be tumbled out of the world. The whole town also counted of no other, but that in their time and order they must all drink of the fame cup. Wherefore the town of Manfoul spent that night in mourning and fackcloth and ashes. The prifoners alfo, when the time was come to go down before the Prince, dreffed themselves in mourning attire, with ropes upon their heads. The whole town of Manfoul alfo fhewed themselves upon the wall, and clad in mourning weeds, if perhaps the Prince with the fight thereof might be moved with compaffion. (a) But Oh how the bufy-bodies, that were in the town of Vain thoughts.

Manfoul, now concerned themselves! They

ran here and there through the streets of the town by companies, crying out as they ran in tumultuous wife, one after one manner, and another the quite contrary, to the almoft utter diftraction of Manfoul.

Well, the time is come that the prisoners must go down to the camp, and appear before the Prince.. The prifoners And thus was the manner of their going had to trial. down: Capt. Boanerges went with a guard

before them, and captain Conviction came behind, and the prisoners went bound in chains in the midft; so I say, the prifoners went in the midft, and the guard went with flying colours behind and before, but the prifoners went with drooping fpirits. Or more particularly, thus:

The

(a) A fight of our multiplied abominations, and deserved punishment for them, fhould not only abase, but drive us (not to defpair, Satan's refource, but) to Chrift the only propitiatory facrifice, and to the God of all mercy and grace, for full falvation through him, IN WHOм he is well pleased.

him.

The prifoners went down all in mourning, How they went. they put ropes upon themselves, they went on fmiting themselves on their breasts, but durft not lift up their eyes to heaven. Thus they went out at the gate of Manfoul, till they came into the midft of the Prince's army, the fight and glory of which greatly heightened their affliction. Nor could they now longer forbear but cry out aloud, O unhappy men! O wretched Manfoul! Their chains ftill mixing their dolorous notes with the cries of the prifoners, made the noise more lamentable. They fell down So when they were come to the door of the proftrate before Prince's pavilion, they caft themselves proftrate upon the place: then one went in and told the Lord, that the prifoners were come down. The Prince then afcended a throne of ftate, and fent for the prifoners in; who, when they came, trembled before him; alfo they covered their faces with fhame. (a) Now as they drew near the place where he fat, they threw themfelves down before him. Then faid the Prince to the captain Boanerges, Bid the prisoners ftand upon their feet. Then they stood trembling before him; and he said, Are you the men that heretofore were the ferThey are upon vants of SHADDAI? And they faid, Yes, their trial. Lord, yes. Then faid the Prince again, Are you the men that fuffered yourselves to be corrupted and defiled by that abominable one Diabolus? And they faid, We did more than fuffer it, Lord; for we chofe it of our mind. The Prince afked further, faying, Could you have been content that your slavery should have continued under his tyranny as long as you had lived? Then faid the prifoners, Yes, Lord, yes; for his ways were pleasing to our flesh,

(a) That conviction, which precedes true converfion, lays the finner in the duft, and fills the confcience with compunction for it's foul ingratitude.-But the Lord Jefus came from heaven to fet the captives free, bind up the brokenhearted, and comfort the mourners in Zion, Isa. lxi, 1, 2.

flesh, and we were grown aliens to a better state. And did you, faid he, when I came against this town of Manfoul, heartily with that I might not have the victory over you? Yes, Lord, yes, faid they. Then faid the Prince, And what punishment is it, think you, that you deserve at my hands, for these and other your high and mighty fins? And they faid, Both death and the deep, Lord; for we have deferved no lefs. He afked again, If they had aught to fay for themselves, why the fentence, which they confeffed they had deferved, fhould not be paffed upon them? And they faid, We can fay nothing,

themselves.

* Sins.

Lord; thou art juft, for we have finned. They condemn Then faid the Prince, And for what are these ropes on your heads? The prifoners answered, The ropes are to lead us withal to the place of execution, if mercy be not pleafing in thy fight, Prov. v. 22. So he further asked, If all the men in the town of Manfoul were in this confeffion, as they? And they answered, All the natives, + Lord: + Powers of the but for the Diabolonians, ‡ that came into foul. our town when the tyrant got poffeffion of us, we can fay nothing for them. (a)

+ Corruptions

and lufts.

Then the Prince commanded that an herald fhould be called; and that he should in the midft and throughout the camp of EMANUEL proclaim, and that

claimed.

with found of trumpet, that the Prince, the A victory proSon of SHADDAI, had in his Father's name, and for his Father's glory, gotten a perfect conquest and victory over Manfoul; and that the prifoners fhould follow him, and fay Amen. So this was done as he had commanded.

And presently the mufic that was in the upper region founded melodiously. The Joy for the viccaptains that were in the camp fhouted, and

tory.

the

(a) They who are brought to confefs and alfo FORSAKE fin, fhall find mercy, Prov. xxviii. 13. Believers in the holy Jefus make no truce with God's enemies; but bewail their innate corruptions, and look to the almighty Saviour for grace and ftrength to fubdue them.

the foldiers fung fongs of triumph to the Prince, the colours waved in the wind, and great joy was every-where, only it was wanting as yet in the hearts of the men of Manfoul.

Then the Prince called to the prifoners to They are parcome and stand again before him; and they doned; which is commandrd came and stood trembling. And he faid unto to be proclaimed them, The fins, trefpaffes, and iniquities, to-morrow in that Manfoul. with the whole town of Mansoul, you, have from time to time committed against my Father and Me, I have power and commandment from my Father to forgive to the town of Manfoul; and do forgive you accordingly. And having so said, he gave them written in parchment, and fealed with feven feals, a large and general pardon, commanding my lord-mayor, lord Will-be-will, and Mr. Recorder, to proclaim, and caufe it to be proclaimed to-morrow, by that the fun is up, throughout the whole town of Manfoul. (a)

taken from them.

Moreover, the Prince ftripped the priTheir rags are, foners of their mourning weeds, and gave them beauty for afhes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praife for the fpirit of heavinefs, Ifa. lxi. 3.

ration.

Then he gave to each of the three, jewels A frange alte- of gold and precious ftones; and took away their ropes, and put chains of gold about their necks, and ear-rings in their ears. Now the prifoners, when they heard the gracious words of prince EMANUEL, and had beheld all that was done unto them, fainted almoft quite away; for the grace, the benefit, the pardon, was fudden, glorious, and fo big, that they were not able, without ftaggering, to ftand up under it. Yea, my lord Will-be-will fwooned outright; but the Prince ftept to him, put his everlasting arms under him, em braced him, kiffed him, and bid him be of good chear,

for

(a) Thus our loving Lord forgives freely, fully, ever laftingly; but the pardoned finner, though confcious of this amazing mercy, yet fenfible of his numerous and potent foes, continues humbly to depend on, and implore fuccour fram, the Lord his righteousness and strength.

Their guilt.

for all fhould be performed according to his word. He alfo kiffed, embraced, and fmiled upon the other two that were Will-be-will's companions, saying, Take these as further tokens of my love, favour, and compaffion to you; and I charge you, that you Mr. Recorder tell the town of Manfoul what you have heard and seen. Then were their fetters broken to pieces before their faces, and caft into the air, and their steps were enlarged under them. Then they fell at the feet of the Prince, kiffed them, and wetted them with tears; they also cried out with a mighty ftrong voice, faying, "Bleffed be the glory of the Lord from this place!" So they were bid rife up, and go to the town and tell Manfoul what the Prince had done. He comThey are fent manded also, that one with pipe and tabor home with pipe fhould go and play before them all the way and tabor. into the town of Manfoul. Then was fulfilled what they never looked for, and they were made to poffefs what they never dreamt of. (a) The Prince alfo called Captain Crefor the noble captain Credence, and com- dence guards manded that he and fome of his officers them home. fhould march before the noblemen of Manfoul, colours into the town. He gave alfo unto captain Credence a charge, that about the time that the Recorder read the general pardon in the town of Manfoul, that at that very time he should with flying colours part from the march in at Eye-gate, with his ten thousand heart. at his feet; and that he should fo go until he came by the high ftreet of the town, up to the caftle-gates; and that himfelf fhould take poffeffion thereof, against his Lord

with flying When Faith and Pardon Judgment and meet together, Execution de

came

(a) Vain worldlings, while dead in fins, are ftrangers to fpiritual joys. But when the foul is fo divinely changed, as to tafte the love and grace of God in Chrift, heaven is opened within it, and, abhorring it's former felf, glorifies God for the wonders he has wrought for the children of

men.