Moreover, O Mansoul! quoth he, consider how I have served you, even to the uttermost of my power; and that with the best that I have, could get, or procure for you in all the world: besides, I dare say, that the laws and customs that you now are under, and by which you do homage to me, do yield you more solace and content than did the paradise that at first you possessed. Your liberty also, as yourselves do very well know, has been greatly widened and enlarged by me; whereas I found you a pent-up people. I have not laid any restraint upon you; you have no law, statute, or judgment of mine to frighten you; I call none of you to account for your doings, except the madman (you know who I mean). I have granted you to live, each man, like a prince, in his own, even with as little control from me as I myself have from you. Ilis flatteries. Conscience. Men sometimes consciences. And thus would Diabolus hush up, and quiet the town of Mansoul, when the Recorder, angry with their that was, did at times molest them; yea, and with such cursed orations as these would set the whole town in a rage and fury against the old gentleman; yea, the rascal crew at some times would be for destroying of him. They have often wished, in my hearing, that he had lived a thousand miles off from them: his company, his words, yea, the sight of him, and especially when they remembered how in old times he did use to threaten and condemn them--for all he was now so debauched-did terrify and afflict them sore.2 Liars ought to have good memories; just before this the devil said, 'When Shaddai shall hear what is done, he will come.' Now he tells them, 'He hath shaken his hands of us,' or entirely given us up.-(ED.) 2 Conscience, in natural men, is very unequal and irregular in its opposition to sin; yet by fits and starts he will cry out, and so frighten the sinner, that he wishes him 'a thousand miles off,' so as to give him no disturbance. The powers of conscience cannot be utterly defaced.—(Burder.) The will But to leave Mr. Recorder, and to come to my Lord Will-be-will, another of the gentry of the famous town of Mansoul. This Will-be-will was as high-born as any man in Mansoul, and was as much, if not more, a freeholder than many of them were: besides, if I remember my tale aright, he had some privilege peculiar to himself in the famous town of Mansoul. Now, together with these, he was a man of great strength, resolution, and courage; nor in his occasion could any turn him away. But I say, whether he was proud of his estate, privileges, strength, or what-but sure it was through pride of something-he scorns now to be a slave in Mansoul; and therefore resolves to bear office under Diabolus, that he might, such an one as he was, be a petty ruler and governor in Mansoul. And, headstrong man that he was, thus he began betimes; for this man, when Diabolus did make his oration at Ear-gate, was one of the first that was for consenting to his words, and for accepting of his counsel as wholesome, and that was for tho opening of the gate, and for letting him into the town: wherefore Diabolus had a kindness for him, and therefore he designed for him a place; and perceiving the valour and stoutness of the man, he coveted to have him for one of his great ones, to act and do in matters of the highest concern.* Heart. So he sent for him, and talked with him of that secret matter that lay in his breast, The will takes but there needed not much persuasion place under Diabolus. in the case; for as at first he was willing that Diabolus should be let into the town, so now he was as willing to serve him there. When the tyrant therefore perceived the willingness of my lord to serve him, and that his mind stood bending that way, he forthwith made him the captain of the castle, governor of the Flesh. wall, and keeper of the gates of Mansoul; yea, there was a clause in his commission that nothing without him should be done in all the town of Mansoul. So that now, next to Diabolus himself, who but my lord Will-be-will in all the town of Mansoul; nor could anything now be done, but at his will and pleasure, throughout the town of Mansoul. He had also one Mr. Mind, my Mr. Mind for his clerk, a man to speak on, every way like his master; for he and 5 Senses. Lord's clerk. 3 The will scorns to be a slave, but plunges into the worst of slavery-that to Satan and to sin; and in that slavery must perish, unless emancipated and redeemed by Christ.—(ED.) 4 The will is a lord, a person of great importance, a governing faculty; and there could be no sin till the will consented to the temptation. In fallen man, it is not subject to the law of God, but obstinately opposed to it, and therefore a fit deputy for the devil.—(Burder.) The mind or judgment, whereby we distinguish between good and evil, lawful and unlawful. 2 Co. iii. 14. Tit. i. 15.— (Mason.) How awfully has sin fettered man, and made him a slave.-(ED.) Amatch betwixt Vile-affection and Caruallust. his lord were in principle one, and in practice not | him Vile-affection. Now there was he, and one far asunder. Ro. viii. 7. And now was Mansoul Carnal-lust, the daughter of Mr. Mind brought under to purpose, and made to fulfil the (like to like, quoth the devil to the lusts of the will and of the mind. collier) that fell in love, and made a match, and were married; and, as I take it, they had several children, as Impudent, Blackmouth, and Hate-reproof; these three were black boys. And besides these they had three daughters, as Scorntruth, and Slightgod, and the name of the youngest was Revenge; these were all married in the town, and also begot and yielded many bad brats, too many to be here inserted. But to pass by this. But it will not out of my thoughts, what a desperate one this Will-be-will was, when power was put into his hand. First, he flatly denied that he owed any suit or service to his former prince and liege lord. This done, in the next place he took an oath, and swore fidelity to his great master Diabolus, and then, being stated and settled in his places, offices, advancements, and preferments, O! you cannot think, unless you had seen it, the strange work that this workman made in the town of Mansoul! The carnal will science. did. When the giant had thus ingarrisoned himself in the town of Mansoul, and had put down and set up whom he thought good; he betakes himself to defacing. Now there was in the market-place in Mansoul, and also upon the gates of the castle, an image of the blessed King Shaddai; this image was so exactly engraven, and it was engraven in gold, that it did the most resemble Shaddai himself of anything that then was extant in the world. This he basely commanded to be defaced, What Notruth and it was as basely done by the hand of Mr. Notruth. Now you must know, that as Diabolus had commanded, and that by the hand of Mr. Notruth, the image of Shaddai was defaced. He likewise gave order that the same Mr. Notruth should set up in its stead the horrid and formidable image of Diabolus; to the great contempt of the former King, and debasing of his town of Mansoul. Moreover, Diabolus made havoc of all remains of the laws and statutes of Shaddai that could be found in the town of Mansoul; to wit, such as contained either the doctrines of morals, with all civil and natural documents. Also relative severities he sought to extinguish. To be short, there was nothing of the remains of good in Mansoul which he and Will-be-will sought not to destroy; for their design was to turn Mansoul into a brute, and to make it like to the sensual sow, by the hand of Mr. Notruth.* First, he maligned Mr. Recorder to death; he would neither endure to see him, nor or poseth cou- to hear the words of his mouth; he would shut his eyes when he saw him, and stop his ears when he heard him speak: also, he could not endure that so much as a fragment of the law of Shaddai should be anywhere seen in the town. For example, his clerk, Mr. Mind, had some old, rent, and torn parchments of the law of good Shaddai in his house,1 but when Will-be-will saw them, he cast them behind his back. Ne. ix. 26. True, Mr. Recorder had some of the laws in his study, but my lord could by no means Corrupt will loves a dark come at them: he also thought, and understanding. said, that the windows of my old Lord Mayor's house were always too light for the profit of the town of Mansoul. The light of a candle he could not endure. Now, nothing at all pleased Will-be-will but what pleased Diabolus his lord. There was none like him to trumpet about the streets the brave nature, the wise conduct, and great glory of the King Diabolus. He would range and rove throughout all the streets of Mansoul to cry up his illustrious lord, and would make himself even as an abject, among the base and rascal crew, to cry up his valiant prince. And I say, when and wheresoever he found these vassals, he would even make himself as one of them. In all ill courses he would act without bidding, and do mischief with--namely, to alienate Mansoul from Shaddai, her out commandment. Vain thoughts. 3 All law-books destroyed that could be so. When he had destroyed what law and good orders he could, then, further to effect his design king-he commands and they set up his own vain edicts, statutes, and commandments, in all places of resort or concourse in Mansoul; to wit, such as gave liberty to the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of 3 Relative severities are the duties we owe to God, to our selves, and to man, as public and private prayer, obedience and affection to parents and relatives, and that duty so essential to our spirit's welfare-self-examination.' These being neglected, the sinner becomes to every good work reprobate.-(Mason.) 4 Satan would conceal or obliterate the sacred Scriptures, prevent the practice of duty to God or to our neighbour, and make man merely carnal and brutish. Awfully has he suc ceeded; so that man has become that motley monster, halfbeast, half-devil, uniting in himself the sensual appetites of the former with the diabolic temper of the latter.-(Burder.) Lord Mayor corder. the eyes, and the pride of life, which are not of Shaddai, but of the world. 1 Jn. ii. 16. He encouraged, countenanced, and promoted lasciviousness, and all ungodliness there. Yea, much more did Diabolus to encourage wickedness in the town of Mansoul; he promised them peace, content, joy, and bliss in doing his commands, and that they should never be called to an account for their not doing the contrary. And let this serve to give a taste to them that love to hear tell of what is done beyond their knowledge, afar off in other countries. Now Mansoul being wholly at his beck, and brought wholly to his bow, nothing was heard or seen therein but that which tended to set up him. But now, he having disabled the Lord Mayor They have a new and Mr. Recorder from bearing of and a new ke- office in Mansoul, and seeing that the town, before he came to it, was the most ancient of corporations in the world; and fearing, if he did not maintain greatness, they at any time should object that he had done them an injury, therefore, I say, that they might see that he did not intend to lessen their grandeur, or to take from them any of their advantageous things, he did choose for them a Lord Mayor and a Recorder himself; and such as contented them at the heart, and such also as pleased him wondrous well. The name of the Mayor that was of Diabolus's The new Lord making was the Lord Lustings; a man that had neither eyes nor ears; all that he did, whether as a man or as an officer, he did it naturally, as doth the beast. And that which made him yet the more ignoble, though not to Mansoul, yet to them that beheld and were grieved for its ruins, was, that he never could savour good, but evil. Mayor. them new al dermen, and common people in hurtful ways. For who doth not perceive, but when those that sit aloft are vile, and corrupt themselves, they corrupt the whole region and country where they are ?+ Besides these, Diabolus made several burgesses and aldermen in Mansoul; such as out He doth make of whom the town, when it needed, might choose them officers, governors, who. and magistrates. And these are the names of the chief of them, Mr. Incredulity, Mr. Haughty, Mr. Swearing, Mr. Whoring, Mr. Hardheart, Mr. Pitiless, Mr. Fury, Mr. Notruth, Mr. Stand-to-lies, Mr. Falsepeace, Mr. Drunkenness, Mr. Cheating, Mr. Atheism-thirteen in all. Mr. Incredulity is the eldest, and Mr. Atheism the youngest, of the company.3 There was also an election of common councilmen, and others; as bailiffs, sergeants, constables, and others; but all of them like to those aforenamed, being either fathers, brothers, cousins, or nephews to them; whose names, for brevity's sake, I omit to mention. names go When the giant had thus far proceeded in his work, in the next place he betook He buildeth three himself to build some strongholds in strongholds; their the town. And he built three that vernors. seemed to be impregnable. The first he called the Hold of Defiance, because it was made to command the whole town, and to keep it from the knowledge of its ancient King. The second he called Midnight-hold, because it was built on purpose to keep Mansoul from the true knowledge of itself. The third was called Sweet-sin-hold, because by that he fortified Mansoul against all desires of good. The first of these holds stood close by Eyegate, that as much as might be light He that Diabolus made governor over the first The Recorder was one whose name was Forget-might be darkened there. The second was built The new Recor- good; and a very sorry fellow he was. hard to the old castle, to the end that that might der. He could remember nothing but mis- be made more blind, if possible. And the third chief, and to do it with delight. He was naturally stood in the market-place." prone to do things that were hurtful; even hurtful to the town of Mansoul, and to all the dwellers there. These two, therefore, by their power and practice, example and smiles upon evil, did much more grammar,3 and settle the Thoughts. 1 Great is the the danger of seeking to be wise above what is written. The Bible is the limit of all real knowledge in matters of religion. To the law and to the testimony, if any doctrine or practice is not to be found there, reject it instantly and for ever; it is poisonous, and tends to death and hell.— (ED.) Neither eyes nor ears;' no regard to reason nor danger, but hurried on by mere appetite to every fleshly indulgence. (Burder.) How degraded! Man becomes a compound of devilish and beastly lusts. 'Lord, what is man that thou should be mindful of him.'—(ED.) 3 To 'grammar;' to instil into the mind.—(ED.) Nothing could evidence more intrepid faithfulness than this severe, but just, reflection upon the open licentiousness and debauchery of Charles II. and his courtiers. Nearly thirteen years of frightful imprisonment had not chilled his faithful spirit, nor cowed him in doing his duty. In serving God he was a stranger to fear.-(ED.) What a vile set of wretches!' the reader will exclaim; but are you sure that they do not rule your heart? Unbelief is the first, and how natural the gradation to Atheism, the last— the scorner's seat.—(ED.) 'Christ purged his temple, so must thou thy heart. 6 Thus Satan fixes his empire in the soul:-1. By enmity and aversion to Divine instruction; 2. By the blindness of the understanding, and perverseness of the will, by which the knowledge of its lamentable state and of God are concealed; and, 3. By a habit and delight in sin, rolling it as a sweet morsel under the tongue; all which, if grace prevent not, will drown men in destruction and perdition.-(Mason.) beware, these three strongholds are the greatest enemies to human happiness:-1. Indifferent carelessness; 2. Ignorance of the new birth and of spiritual religion, which is the strength of superstition-the cruel persecutor of the saints; 3. Lusts, which degrade the soul into slavery to Satan.-(ED.) Reader, of these, was one Spitegod, a most blasphemous with grief, some say, or with being poisoned with wretch. He came with the whole rabble of them the stinking breath of one Illpause, as say others that came against Mansoul at first, and was him--at the hearing of his just lord and rightful self one of themselves. He that was made the prince Shaddai so abused by the mouth of so filthy governor of Midnight-hold, was one Love-no-light. a Diabolonian as that varlet Illpause was. The He was also of them that came first against the messenger further told, that after this Illpause town. And he that was made the governor of the had made a short oration to the townsmen, in hold called Sweet-sin-hold, was one whose name behalf of Diabolus his master, the simple town was Loveflesh; he was also a very lewd fellow, believing that what was said was true, with one but not of that country where the other are bound.1 consent did open Eargate, the chief gate of the This fellow could find more sweetness when he corporation, and did let him with his crew into a stood sucking of a lust, than he did in all the possession of the famous town of Mansoul. He paradise of God. further showed how Diabolus had served the Lord Mayor and Mr. Recorder, to wit, that he had put them from all place of power and trust. Item, He showed also that my Lord Will-be-will was turned a very rebel and renegade, and that so was one Mr. Mind, his clerk; and that they two did range and revel it all the town over, and teach the wicked ones their ways. He said, moreover, that this Will-be-will was put into great trust; · and, particularly, that Diabolus had put into Will-be-will's hand all the strong places in Mansoul; and that Mr. Affection was made my Lord Will-be-will's deputy in his most rebellious affairs. Yea, said the messenger, this monster, Lord Willbe-will, has openly disavowed his King Shaddai, and hath horribly given his faith and plighted his troth to Diabolus.* And now Diabolus thought himself safe; he had taken Mansoul; he had ingarrisoned himself therein; he had put down the old officers, and Diabolus has had set up new ones; he had defaced made his nest. the image of Shaddai, and had set up his own; he had spoiled the old law-books, and had promoted his own vain lies; he had made him new magistrates, and set up new aldermen; he had built him new holds, and had manned them for himself. And all this he did to make himself secure, in case the good Shaddai, or his Son, should come to make an incursion upon him. [CHAPTER III.] [CONTENTS:-Information of the revolution carried to the court of King Shaddai-His great resentment of the rebellion -Ilis gracious intention of restoring Mansoul-Some intimations of this published-Care of Diabolus to suppress them-His artifices to secure the town, and prevent its return to Shaddai.] what had hap soul. Now you may well think, that long before this Tidings carried time word, by some or other, could not to the court of but be carried to the good King Shadpened to Man- dai, how his Mansoul in the continent of Universe was lost; and that the renegade giant Diabolus, once one of his Majesty's servants, had, in rebellion against the King, made sure thereof for himself; yea, tidings were carried and brought to the King thereof, and that to a very circumstance.3 As first, How Diabolus came upon Mansoulthey being a simple people, and innocent-with craft, subtilty, lies, and guile. Item, That he had treacherously slain the right noble and valiant captain, their Captain Resistance, as he stood upon the gate, with the rest of the townsmen. Item, How my brave Lord Innocent fell down dead 1 Loveflesh was one of the corrupted Mansoulians, and, therefore, not bound to the place whence Spitegod and Loveno-light came; these were Diabolonians.-(ED.) 'Also,' said the messenger, 'besides all this, the new king, or rather rebellious tyrant, over the once famous, but now perishing, town of Mansoul, has set up a Lord Mayor and a Recorder of his own. For Mayor, he has set up one Mr Lustings, and for Recorder, Mr. Forget-good; two of the vilest of all the town of Mansoul.' This faithful messenger also proceeded, and told what a sort of new burgesses Diabolus had made, also that he had builded several strong forts, towers, and strongholds in Mansoul. He told too, the which I had almost forgot, how Diabolus had put the town of Mansoul into arms, the better to capacitate them on his behalf to make resistance against Shaddai their king, should he come to reduce them to their former obedience. 2 How awful and complete is the revolution! The understanding is darkened, the conscience debauched, the will per- Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of verted, the image of God defaced, the law of God suppressed, the world.' 'Not a sparrow shall fall without your Father.' and lusts triumphant; while the proud sinner defies God, lovesThe very hairs of your head are all numbered.' Mat. x. 29, 30. midnight darkness, and wallows in sin. What an awful, but accurate, picture of apostate man! God, be merciful to us sinners. (Burder.) (Ed.) 4 'Ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement.' Is. xxviii. 15.—(ED.) purpose. A 'Let all men know who are concerned, That the Son of Shaddai, the great King, is The Contents. These papers, therefore, were published in several places, to the no little molestation of the tyrant Diabolus, for now, thought he, I shall be molested, and my habitation will be taken from me. Among the behold it, what sorrow and grief, and compunction | mined, and to cause that it should be published in of spirit, there was among all sorts, to think that all the corners of the kingdom of Universe. famous Mansoul was now taken; only the King, short breviat3 of the contents thereof you may, if and his Son foresaw all this long before, yea, and you please, take here as follows: sufficiently provided for the relief of Mansoul, though they told not everybody thereof. Yet, because they also would have a share in condoling of the misery of Mansoul, therefore they also did, and that at the rate of the highest degree, bewail the losing of Mansoul. The King said plainly, 'That it grieved him at his heart,' and you may be sure that his Son was not a whit behind him. Ge. vi. 5, 6. Thus gave they conviction to all about them, that they had love and compassion for the famous town of Mansoul. Well, when the King and his Son were retired into the privy-chamber, there they again consulted about what they had The secret of his designed before, to wit, that as Mansoul should in time be suffered to be lost, so as certainly it should be recovered again; recovered I say, in such a way as that both the King and his Son would get themselves eternal fame and glory thereby. Wherefore after this consult, the Son of Shaddai, a sweet and comely person, and one that had always great affection for those that were in affliction, but one that had mortal enmity in his heart against Diabolus, because he was designed for it, and because he sought his crown and dignity. This Son of Shaddai, I say, having stricken hands1 with his Father, and promised that he would be his servant to recover his Mansoul again, stood by his resolution, nor would he repent of the same. Is. xlix. 5. 1 Ti. i. 15. He. xiii. 14. The purport of which A brave design agreement was this: to wit, That at a on foot for the certain time prefixed by both, the King's Son should take a journey into the country of Universe; and there, in a way of justice and equity, by making of amends for the follies of Mansoul, he should lay a foundation of her perfect deliverance from Diabolus, and from his tyranny.2 The Son of God. town of Mansoul. Moreover, Emmanuel resolved to make, at a time convenient, a war upon the giant Diabolus, even while he was possessed of the town of ManBy the Holy soul; and that he would fairly, by Ghost. strength of hand, drive him out of his hold, his nest, and take it to himself, to be his habitation. This now being resolved upon, order was given The Holy Scrip- to the Lord Chief Secretary, to draw tures. up a fair record of what was deter 1 To strike hands' means to enter into agreement, make a contract, or become security. Pr. xvii. 18.-(Ed.) 2 How astonishing is the Divine benignity! Who can express it so well as in the words of Emmanuel himself, God so loved the world? So loved! How much he loved, no tongue can tell, no heart conceive. It is love unsought, unparalleled, fice, and everlasting.—(Burder.) But when this matter, I mean this purpose of the King and his Son, did at first take air at court, who can tell how the high lords, chief captains, and noble princes, that were there, were taken with the business. Angels. First, they whispered it one to another, and after that it began to ring out throughout the King's palace; all wondering at the glorious design that between the King and his Son was on foot for the miserable town of Mansoul. Yea, the courtiers could scarce do any thing, either for the King or kingdom, but they would mix with the doing thereof a noise of the love of the King and his Son, that they had for the town of Manscul. Diabolus perplexed at the Nor could these lords, high captains, and princes, be content to keep this news at court, yea, before the records thereof were perfected, themselves came down and told it in Universe. At last it came to the ears, as I said, of Diabolus, to his no little discontent. For you must think it would perplex him to hear of such a design against him; well, but after a few casts in his mind, he concluded upon these four things. news. several things. First. That this news, this good tidings, if possible, should be kept from the ears He concluded on of the town of Mansoul.5 For, said he, if they shall once come to the knowledge that Shaddai, their former King, and Emmanuel, his Son, are contriving of good for the town of Mansoul; what can be expected by me, but that Mansoul will make a revolt from under my hand and government, and return again to him. 3 Breviat;' a summary or epitome; a word commonly used in Bunyan's time.-(ED.) Early intimation was given to a lost world of God's gracious designs in favour of rebel man. He was pleased to publish in his Word this benevolent purpose.—(Burder.) It is the interest of hell to keep men in ignorance of the gospel. His great instrument, in all ages and climes, has been a wicked priesteraft. All that tends to prevent anxious personal inquiry for salvation is from beneath, from the father of lies. I believe as the church believes, and the church believes as I believe,' is the wretched sophistry by which Satan entangles souls in his net.—(ED.) |