He knows that that will do no good, which

yet he propounds for the

health of Man.

soul.

receive thee for their Lord, and I know that they | in Mansoul, when the devil is become the corrector will do it the sooner when they shall understand of vice. Thou knowest that all that that I am thy deputy. 2. I will show them where- thou hast now said in this matter is in they have erred, and that transgression stands nothing but guile and deceit; and is, in the way to life. 3. I will show them the holy as it was the first, so is it the last card law unto which they must conform, even that which that thou hast to play. Many there they have broken. 4. I will press upon them the be that do soon discern thee when thou showest necessity of a reformation according to thy law. them thy cloven foot; but in thy white, thy light, 5. And, moreover, that none of these things may and in thy transformation thou art seen but of a few. fail, I myself, at my own proper cost and charge, But thou shalt not do thus with my Mansoul, O will set up and maintain a sufficient ministry, be- Diabolus, for I do still love my Mansoul. sides lecturers, in Mansoul.1 6. Thou shalt receive, as a token of our subjection to thee continually, year by year, what thou shalt think fit to lay and levy upon us, in token of our subjection to thee.'2 Then said Emmanuel to him, 'O full of deceit, how movable are thy ways! How often hast thou changed and rechanged, if so be thou mightest still keep possession of my Mansoul, though, as has been plainly declared before, I am the right heir thereof? Often hast thou made thy proposals already, nor is this last a whit better than they. And failing to deceive when thou showedst thyself in thy black, thou hast now transformed thyself into an angel of light, and wouldest, to deceive, be now as a minister of righ

The answer.

teousness. 2 Co. xi. 14.

conscience to God, nor love to Mansoul.

'Besides, I am not come to put Mansoul upon works to live thereby-should I do so, I should be like unto thee-but I am come that by me, and by what I have and shall do for Mansoul, they may to my Father be reconciled, though by their sin they have provoked him to anger, and though by the law they cannot obtain mercy.

All things must be new in Mansoul.

Thou talkest of subjecting of this town to good, when none desireth it at thy hands. I am sent by my Father to possess it myself, and to guide it by the skilfulness of my hands into such a conformity to him as shall be pleasing in his sight. I will therefore possess it myself, I will dispossess and cast thee out: I will set up mine own standard in the midst of them: I will also govern them by new laws, new officers, new motives, and new ways. Yea, I will pull down this town, and build it again, and it shall be as though it had not been, and it shall then be the glory of the whole universe.'s

founded.

con

'But know thou, O Diabolus, that nothing must be regarded that thou canst propound, for nothing Diabolus has no is done by thee but to deceive; thou neither hast conscience to God, nor love to the town of Mansoul; whence When Diabolus heard this, and perceived that then should these thy sayings arise, but from sinful he was discovered in all his deceits, Diabolus craft and deceit? He that can of list and will he was confounded and utterly put propound what he pleases, and that wherewith he to a non-plus; but having in himself the founmay destroy them that believe him, is to be aban-tain of iniquity, rage and malice against both doned with all that he shall say. But if righteousness be such a beauty-spot in thine eyes now, how is it that wickedness was so closely stuck to by thee before. But this is by the by. Thou talkest now of a reformation in Mansoul, and that thou thyself, if I will please, will be at the head of that reformation, all the while knowing that the greatest proficiency that man can make in the law, and the righteousness thereof, will amount to no more for the taking away of the curse from Mansoul than just nothing at all; for a law being broken by Mansoul, that had before, upon a supposition of the breach thereof, a curse pronounced against him for it of God, can never, by his obeying of the law, deliver himself therefrom. To say nothing of what a reformation is like to be set up

1 Reader, the devil offers to set up ministers and lecturers! Take heed what ye hear.-(ED.)

2 How common is it with sinners, under conviction and the fear of hell, to be content with mending their lives; they are willing to be reformed, but not to be justified and saved by grace. (Burder.)

Shaddai and his Son, and the beloved town of Mansoul, what doth he but strengthen himself what he could, to give fresh battle to the noble Prince Emmanuel? So then, now we must have another fight before the town of Mansoul is taken. Come up then to the mountains you that love to see military actions, and behold by both sides how the fatal blow is given: while one seeks to hold, and the other seeks to make himself master of the famous town of Mansoul.

New prepara

Diabolus, therefore, having withdrawn himself from the wall to his force that was in the heart of the town of Mansoul, tions for to fight. Emmanuel also returned to the camp; and both of them, after their divers ways, put themselves into a posture fit to bid battle one to another.

3 What a volume of evangelical truth is contained in these words! Old things must pass away, all must become new; we must be buried with Christ in baptism, and rise again to newness of life. No man is a Christian till Christ is formed in him the hope of glory. We must be in Christ, complete in his righteousness, then will love constrain him to good works. In Christ he becomes the glory of the universe.—(ED.)

des

of Mansoul,

contrives to do

he can.

Diabolus, as filled with despair of retaining in Diabolus his hands the famous town of Mansoul, pairs of holding resolved to do what mischief he could, and therefore if indeed he could do any, to the army it what mischief of the Prince, and to the famous town of Mansoul; for, alas! it was not the happiness of the silly town of Mansoul that was designed by Diabolus, but the utter ruin and overthrow thereof; as now is enough in view. Wherefore he commands his officers that they should then, when they see that they could hold J the town no longer, do it what harm and mischief they could; rending and tearing of men, women, and children. Mar. ix. 26, 27. For, said he, we had better quite demolish the place, and leave it like a ruinous heap, than so leave it that it may be an habitation for Emmanuel.1

Emmanuel again, knowing that the next battle would issue in his being made master of the place, gave out a royal commandment to all his officers, high captains, and men of war, to be sure to show themselves men of war against Diabolus, and all Diabolonians; but favourable, merciful, and JJ meek to all the old inhabitants of Mansoul. Bend, therefore, said the noble Prince, the hottest front of the battle against Diabolus and his men.

Conscience.

They go up to

the Recorder's house.

that the golden slings should yet be played upon the town, especially against the castle, because for shelter thither was Diabolus retreated. Now from Eargate the street was strait, even to the house of Mr. Recorder that so was before Diabolus took the town, and hard by his house stood the castle, which Diabolus for a long time had made his irksome den. The captains, therefore, did quickly clear that street by the use of their slings, so that way was made up to the heart of the town. Then did the Prince command that Captain Boanerges, Captain Conviction, and Captain Judgment should forthwith march up the town to the old gentleman's gate. Then did the captains in most warlike manner enter into the town of Mansoul, and marching in with flying colours, they came up to the Recorder's house, and that was almost as strong as was the castle. Battering rams they took also with them, to plant against the castle-gates. When they were come to the house of Mr. Conscience, they knocked and demanded entrance. Now the old gentleman, not knowing as yet fully their design, kept his gates shut all the time of this fight. Wherefore Boanerges demanded entrance at his They demand gates, and no man making answer, he So the day being come, the command was given, gave it one stroke with the head of a ram, and this and the Prince's men did bravely stand to their made the old gentleman shake, and his house to arms; and did, as before, bend their main force tremble and totter. Then came Mr. Recorder against Eargate, and Eyegate. The word was down to the gate, and, as he could, with quiverthen, Mansoul is won,' so they made ing lips, he asked who was there. Boanerges their assault upon the town. Diabolus answered, We are the captains and commanders of sides also, as fast as he could with the main the great Shaddai, and of the blessed Emmanuel fiercely. of his power, made resistance from his Son, and we demand possession of your house within, and his high lords and chief captains for a for the use of our noble Prince. And with that time fought very cruelly against the Prince's army. the battering-ram gave the gate another shake; this But after three or four notable charges by the made the old gentleman tremble the more, yet Eargate broken Prince, and his noble captains, Ear- durst he not but open the gate. Then open. gate was broken open, and the bars the King's forces marched in, namely, and bolts wherewith it was used to be fast shut up the three brave captains mentioned before. Now against the Prince, were broken into a thousand the Recorder's house was a place of much conpieces. Then did the Prince's trumpets sound, venience for Emmanuel, not only because it was the captains shout, the town shake, and Diabolus near to the castle, and strong, but also because it retreat to his hold. Well, when the Prince's was large, and fronted the castle, the den where forces had broken open the gate, himself came up now Diabolus was: for he was now afraid to come and did set his throne in it; also he set his stand-out of his hold. As for Mr. Recorder, They do keep

The battle

joined, and

they fight ou both

entrance.

They go

ia.

themselves re

tre from the Recorder.

the captains carried it very reservedly
to him; as yet he knew nothing of
the great designs of Emmanuel; so that he did not
know what judgment to make, nor what would be
the end of such thundering beginnings. It was

2 Thus was the promise fulfilled, 'In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book,' Is. xxix. 18; and, 'The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped,' xxxv. 5. What a blessing to be able to say, 'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.' The way is strait from Eargate to Conscience, the house of the Recorder, and to the Heart, the castle. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. May God bestow the hearing ear' upon every reader. (Burder.)

His house the

also presently noised in the town, how the Recor- | rest in any corner. Ile pursued him so hard, that der's house was possessed, his rooms taken up, and he drove his men from him, and made him glad to his palace made the seat of the war; thrust his head into a hole. Also, this mighty seat of war. and no sooner was it noised abroad, warrior did cut three of the Lord Will-be-will's but they took the alarm as warmly, and gave it officers down to the ground; one was Old Prejudice out to others of his friends, and you know as a old Mr. Prejudice, he that had his slain. suow-ball loses nothing by rolling, so in little time crown cracked in the mutiny; this man was made the whole town was possessed that they must by Lord Will-be-will keeper of Eargate, and fell expect nothing from the Prince but destruction; by the hand of Captain Execution. There was and the ground of the business was this. The also one Mr. Backward-to-all-but- Backward to. Recorder was afraid, the Recorder trembled, and naught, and he also was one of Lord all-but-naught the captains carried it strangely to the Recorder, Will-be-will's officers, and was the so many came to see; but when they with their captain of the two guns that once were mounted own eyes did behold the captains in the palace, and on the top of Eargate, he also was cut down to their battering rams ever playing at the castle- the ground by the hands of Captain Execution. gates to beat them down, they were riveted in Besides these two there was another, a third, and their fears, and it made them as in his name was Captain Treacherous, The office of conscience when amaze. And, as I said, the man of a vile man this was, but one that he is awakened. the house would increase all this, for Will-be-will did put a great deal of confidence in; whoever came to him, or discoursed with him, no- but him also did this Captain Execution cut down thing would he talk of, tell them, or hear, but that to the ground with the rest.2 death and destruction now attended Mansoul.1

'For,' quoth the old gentleman, 'you are all of you sensible that we all have been traitors to that once despised, but now famously victorious and glorious Prince Emmanuel. For he now, as you see, doth not only lie in close siege about us, but hath forced his entrance in at our gates; moreover, Diabolus flees before him, and he hath, as you behold, made of my house a garrison against the castle, where he is. I, for my part, have transgressed greatly, and he that is clean it is well for him. But, I say, I have transgressed greatly in keeping of silence when I should have spoken, and in perverting of justice when I should have executed the same. True, I have suffered something at the hand of Diabolus, for taking part with the laws of King Shaddai; but that, alas! what will that do? Will that make compensation for the rebellions and treasons that I have done, and have suffered without gainsaying, to be committed in the town of Mansoul? O, I tremble to think what will be the end of this so dreadful and so ireful a beginning!'

Now, while these brave captains were thus busy in the house of the old Recorder, Captain Execution was as busy in other parts of the ploits of Cap- town, in securing the back streets, tain Execution. and the walls. He also hunted the Lord Will-be-will sorely; he suffered him not to

The brave ex

When the soul listens to the threatenings of the holy law, conscience fears and quakes; and till enlightened with the knowledge of the gospel, and the gracious designs of God, it can think and talk of nothing but death and destruction.'(Burder.) See this part of the Holy War, in Bunyan's experience, recorded in Grace Abounding, Nos. 84-88.-(Ed.)

Bunyan's relief from a state of intense misery was by an assault on Eargate. It was under a sermon upon Christ's love Thou art fair, my love;' then was old Prejudice slain,

slain.

Treacherous slain.

He also made a very great slaughter among my Lord Will-be-will's soldiers, killing many that were stout and sturdy, and wounding of many that for Diabolus were nimble and active. But all these were Diabolonians; there was not a man, a native of Mansoul, hurt.3

4

Other feats of war were also likewise performed by other of the captains, as at Eyegate, where Captain Goodhope and Captain Charity had a charge, was great execution done; for the Captain Goodhope, with his own hands, slew Captain Goodone Captain Blindfold, the keeper of optain Blind that gate; this Blindfold was captain of a thousand men, and they were they that fought with mauls; he also pursued his men, slew many, and wounded more, and made the rest hide their heads in corners.

Captain Blindfold.

There was also at that gate Mr. Illpause, of whom you have heard before; he was an old man, and had a beard that reached down to his girdle: the same was he that was orator to Diabolus; he did much mischief in the town of Mansoul, and fell by the hand of Captain Goodhope.

And old Illpause.

What shall I say, the Diabolonians in these days lay dead in every corner, though too many yet were alive in Mansoul.5

and his officers; although other fears afterwards terrified him, yet Prejudice was slain. Read the narrative in Grace Abounding, Nos. 89-92.—(Ed.)

3 No faculty or power of the soul can be injured by a death unto sin and a life unto holiness. Peace and happiness increase as we live near to God. My young friends, if Satan tells you that religion is a dull or melancholy thing, call to mind the happiness, nay, ecstacies of Paul and David when living under its holy influences.-(ED.)

See Grace Abounding, No. 113.-(ED.)

5 Conversion proceeds. The carnal will has no rest; Prejudice is slain; Aversion-to-good, Treachery, Blindness, and

4 Bunyan was for seven or eight weeks in this painful state. 2 When the conscience is alarmed, and sends its battering-Peace in and out twenty times a day; comfort now, and trouble rams against the heart or affections, the castle, and so the whole soul, will be quickly reduced, and fall into the arms of Divine mercy.-(Ed.)