but myfelf; behold, therefore, as I faid before, you shall be known by it to be mine.

And now, faid he, I have given you my livery, let me give you alfo in commandment concerning them: and be fure that you take good heed to my words.

First, Wear them daily, day by day, left you should at fome times appear to others as if you were none of mine,' Eccl. ix. 8.

Secondly, Keep them always white: for if they be foiled, it is difhonour to me,' Rey, iii. 2.

Thirdly, Wherefore gird them up from the ground, and let them not be foiled with duft or dirt.

Fourthly, Take heed that you lose them not, left you walk naked, and they fee your fhame. (a)

Fifthly, But if you fhould fully them, if you fhould defile them (the which I am unwilling you fhould, and the prince Diabolus would be glad if you would), Rev. vii. 14-17, then fpeed to do that which is written in my law, that yet you may ftand, and not fall before me, and before my throne, Luke xxi. 36. Alfo this is the way to cause that I may not leave you nor forfake you while here, but dwell in this town of Mansoul for ever."

The glorious ftate of Man-.

foul.

And now was Manfoul, and the inhabitants of it, as the fignet upon EMANUEL'S right-hand: where was there now a town, a city, a corporation, that could compare with Manfoul! A town redeemed from the hand and from the power of Diabolus! A town that the king SHADDAI loved, and that he fent EMANUEL to regain from the prince of the infernal cave; yea, a town that EMANUEL loved to dwell in, and that he chofe for his royal habitation; a town that he fortified for himself, and made strong by the force of his

arm.

(a) Sin is difgraceful to profeffors, wounds confcience, is difhonourable to chriftianity, and grieves the holy Spirit.

arm. What fhall I fay! Manfoul has now a most excellent prince, golden captains and men of war, weapons proved, and garments as white as fnow. Nor are these benefits to be counted little, but great; can Manfoul esteem them fo, and improve them to that end and purpose for which they are beftowed upon them.

When the Prince had thus completed the modelling of the town, to fhew that he had great delight in the works of his hands, and took pleafure in the good that he had wrought for the famous and flourishing Manfoul, he commanded and they fet his ftandard upon the battlements of the castle. And

'The Prince's ftandard fet

then,

up.

Firft, He gave them frequent vifits; not a day now but the elders of Manfoul must come to him (or he to them) into his palace, 2 Cor. vi. 16. Now they must walk together, and talk of all the great things that he had done, (a) and yet further promised to do for the famous town of Manfoul. Thus would he often do with the lord-mayor, my lord Will-be-will, and the honeft fubordinate preacher Mr. Confcience, and Mr. Recorder. But Oh how graciously, how lovingly, how courteoufly and tenderly, did this blessed Prince carry it towards the town of Manfoul! In all the ftreets, gardens, orchards, and other places where he came, to be fure the poor fhould have his bleffing and benediction: yea, he would kifs them, and, if they were ill, he would lay hands on them, and make them well. The captains alfo he would daily, yea fometimes hourly, encourage with his prefence and goodly words: for you must know, that a fmile from him upon them would put more vigour, life, and ftoutness into them, than any thing else under heaven.

The Prince would now alfo feaft them, and be with them continually; hardly a week would pafs, but a ban

quet

(a) Jefus, and his falvation, should be our conftant theme, Pf. lxvi, 16.

3

quet must be had betwixt him and them, 1 Cor. v. 8. You may remember, that fume pages before we made mention of one feaft that they had together, but now to feat them was a thing more common; every day with Manfoul was a feaft-day now. Nor did he, when they returned to their places, fend them empty away; either they must have a ring, (a) a gold chain, (b) a bracelet, (c) a white ftone, (d) or fomething; fo dear was Manfoul to him now, fo lovely was Mansoul in his eyes.

Marks of the

Prince's favour.

Secondly, When the elders and townsmen did not come to him, he would fend in much plenty of provision upon them; meat that came from court, wine and bread that were prepared for his Father's table: yea, fuch delicates would he fend unto them, and therewith would fo cover their table, that whoever faw it, confeffed that the like could not be seen in any kingdom.

Thirdly, If Manfoul did not frequently vifit him as he defired they fhould, he would walk out to them, knock at their doors, and defire entrance, that amity might be maintained betwixt them and him; if they heard and opened to him, as commonly they would if they were at home, then would he renew his former love, and confirm it too, with fome new tokens, and signs of continued favour, Rev. iii. 20. Cant. v. 2.

Manfoul's

ory.

And it was now amazing to behold, that in that very place where fometimes Diabolus had his abode, and entertained the Diabolonians, to the almoft utter deftruction of Manfoul, the Prince of princes should fit eating and drinking with them, while all his mighty captains, men of war, trumpeters, with the finging

(a) A token of marriage.
(b) A token of honour.

(c) A token of beauty. (d) A token of pardon,

finging-men and finging-women of his Father, stood round about to wait upon them! Now did Manfoul's cup runt over, now did her conduits run fweet wine, now did she eat the finest of the wheat, and drink milk and honey out of the Rock! Now the faid, How great is his goodness! for fince I found favour in his eyes, how honourable have I been !

He

The bleffed Prince alfo ordained a new officer in the town, Col. iii. 15, and a goodly perfon he was, his name was Mr. God's-peace; (a) this man was fet over my lord Will-be-will, my lord-mayor, Mr. Recorder the fubordinate preacher, Mr. Mind, and over all the natives of the town of Manfoul. Himself was not a native of it, but came with the prince EMANUEL from the court. was a great acquaintance of captain Credence and captain Good-hope; fome fay they were akin, and I am of that opinion too, Rom. xv. 13. This man, as I faid, was made governor of the town in general, fpecially over the cattle, and captain Credence was to help him there. And I made great obfervations of it, that fo long as all things went in Manfoul as this fweet-natured gentleman would, the town was in most happy condition. Now there were no jars, no chidings, no interferings, no unfaithful doings, in all the town of Manfoul; every man in Mansoul kept close to his own employment. The gentry, the officers, the foldiers, and all in place, obferved their order. And as for the women and children of the town, tions, and good they followed their business joyfully, they would work and fing from morning till night; fo that quite through the town of Manfoul now nothing was to be found but harmony, quietnefs, joy, and health; and this lafted all that fummer. But there was a man in the town of Manfoul, and his name was Mr. Carnalfecurity; this man, after all the mercy beftowed upon

Holy concep

thoughts.

this

(a) A fenfe of pardon produces peace, hope, love, filial fear, &c.

this corporation, brought the town of Manfoul into great and grievous flavery and bondage. (a) A brief account of him, and of his doings, take as followeth :

Mr. Self-con.

ceit.

When Diabolus at firft took poffeffion of The story of the town of Manfoul, he brought thither Mr. Carnalwith himself a great number of Diabolonians, fecurity. men of his own conditions. Now among these there was one whofe hame was Mr. Self-conceit; and a notable brisk man he was, as any that in those days poffeffed the town of Manfoul. Diabolus, then, perceiving this man to be active and bold, fent him upon many defperate defigns: the which he managed better, and more to the pleafing of his lord, than most that came with him from 'the dens could do. Wherefore finding him fo fit for his purpose, he preferred him, and made him next to the great lord Will-be-will, of whom we have fpoken fo much before. Now the lord Will-be-will, being in thofe days very well pleafed with him and with his atchievements, gave him his daughter, the lady Fear-nothing, to wife. Now of my lady Fear-nothing did this Mr. Selfconceit beget this gentleman Mr. Carnal-fecurity. Wherefore there being then in Manfoul thofe ftrange kind of mixtures, it was hard for them, in fome cafes, to find out who were natives, who not; for Mr. Carnal-fecurity fprang from my lord Willbe-will by his mother's fide, tho' he had for his father a Diabolonian by nature.

Carnal-feeurity's original.

His qualities.

Well, this Carnal fecurity took much after his father and mother: he was falf-conceited, he feared nothing, he was alfo a very bufy man nothing of news, nothing of doctrine, nothing of alteration or ta of alteration, could at any time be on foot in Manfoul, But Mr. Carnal-fecurity would be at the head or tail But to be fure he would decline those that he

of it.

deemed

(a) By refting in comforts, and not living in Chrift by faith.