might all have been in a posture of defence, and have been ready to have received them with the highest acts of defiance? then had you shewed yourselves men to my liking, whereas by what you have done, you have made me half afraid; I say, half afraid, that when they and we shall come to push a pike, I shall find you want courage to stand it out any longer. Wherefore have I commanded a watch, and that you should double your guards at the gates? Wherefore have I endeavoured to make you as hard as iron, and your hearts as a piece of the nether millstone? Was it, think you, that you might shew yourselves women; and that you might go out, like a company of innocents, to gaze on your mortal foe? Fie, fie, put yourselves into a posture of defence, beat up the drum, gather together in warlike manner, that our foes may know, that, before they shall conquer this corporation, there are valiant men in Mansoul.* I will leave off now to chide, and will not further rebuke you: but I charge you, that henceforwards you let me see no more of such actions. Let not henceforwards a man of you, without order first obtained from me, so much as shew his head over the wall of the town of Mansoul: you have now heard me; do as I have commanded, and you shall cause me that I dwell securely with you, and that as I take care for myself, so for your safety and honour also. Farewel." Now were the townsfolk strangely altered; they were as men stricken with a panic fear: they ran to and fro in * It is a most melancholy and lamentable reflection, that so great an ascendancy has been gained over the human heart by ignorance and enmity, that those ministers of the gospel, who describe man's misery and total departure from God by the fall, and exalt Christ as a suitable and complete Saviour, have in all ages been despised, reviled, and persecuted. But," as in the beginning, they that were born after the flesh persecuted them that were born after the Spirit, even so it is now," Gal. iv. 29. in the streets of the town of Mansoul, crying out, Help! help! the men that turn the world upside down, are come hither also." Nor could any of them be quiet after; but still, as men bereft of wit, they cried out, "The destroyers of our peace and people are come." This went down with Diabolus: Ah! quoth he to himself, this I like well, now it is as I would have it, now you shew your obedience to your prince; hold you but here, and then let them take the town if they can. Well, before the King's forces had set before Mansoul three days, captain Boanerges commanded his trumpeter to go down to Ear-gate; and there, in the name of the great Shaddai, to summon Mansoul to give audience to the message that he in his Master's name was commanded to deliver to them. So the trumpeter, whose name was Take-heed-what-you-hear, went up as he was commanded, to Ear-gate, and there sounded his trumpet for a hearing: but there was none that appeared, that gave answer or regard, for so had Diabolus commanded; so the trumpeter returned to his captain, and told him what he had done, and also how he had sped; whereat the captain was grieved, but bid the trumpeter go to his tent. Again captain Boanerges sendeth his trumpeter to Ear-gate, to sound as before for an hearing; but they again kept close, came not out, nor would they give him an answer, so observant were they of the command of Diabolus their king. Then the captains and other field-officers called a council of war, to consider what further was to be done for gaining the town. of Mansoul: and, after some close and thorough debate upon the contents of their commissions, they concluded yet to give the town, by the hand of the forenamed trumpeter, another summons to hear: but if that shall be refused, say they, and that the town shall stand it out still, Luke xiv. 23, then they determined, and bid the trumpeter tell them so, that they would endeavour by what means they could to compel them by force to the observance of their King So know if he had obtained a hearing, and what was the effect of his errand. So the trumpeter told, saying, When I had sounded my trumpet,* and called aloud to the town for a hearing, my lord Will-be-will, the governor of the town, and he that hath charge of the gates, came up, when he heard me sound, and, looking over the wall, he asked me what I was, whence I came, and what was the cause of my making such a noise? So I told him my errand, and by whose authority I brought it. Then said he, I will tell it the governor, and to Mansoul: and then I returned to my Lord. Then said the brave Boanerges, Let us yet for a while still lie in our trenches, and see what these rebels will do. Now when the time drew nigh when audience by Mansoul must be given to the brave Boanerges and his companions, it was commanded, that all the men of war throughout the whole camp of Shaddai should, as one man, stand to their arms, and make themselves ready, if the town of Mansoul shall hear, to receive it forthwith to mercy; but if not, to force it to a subjection. So the day being come, the trumpeters sounded, and that throughout the whole camp, that the men of war might be in readiness for that which then should be the work of the day. But when they that were in the town of Mansoul heard the sound of the trumpet throughout the camp of Shaddai, and thinking no other but it must be in order to storming the corporation, they at first were put to great con sternation *The trumpeters are ministers of the everlasting gospel of peace: they proclaim the happy and glorious tidings of salvation through the blood-shedding and finished work of the Son of God; whereby glory is brought in the highest to the ever-blessed and adorable Trinity, and on earth peace and good will through a reconciling Saviour. May the eternal Spirit realize Jesus, make him valuable to sinners, and shew them the things pertaining to their great salvation, before they are everlastingly hid from their eyes! O for the hearing ear, and the understanding heart! sternation of spirit;* but after they were a little settled again, they made what preparation they could for a war, if they should storm; else to secure themselves. Well, when the utmost time was come, Boanerges was resolved to hear their answer; wherefore he sent out his trumpeter again to summon Mansoul to a hearing of the message that they had brought from Shaddai: so he went and sounded, and the townsmen came up, but made Ear-gate as sure as they could, Zech. vii. 11. Now when they were come to the top of the wall, captain Boanerges desired to see the lord mayor; but my lord Incredulity was then lord mayor, for he came in the room of my lord Lustings: so Incredulity came up and shewed himself over the wall. But when the captain Boanerges had set his eyes upon him, he cried out aloud, This is not he; where is my lord Understanding, the ancient lord mayor of the town of Mansoul? for to him I would deliver my message. Then * Observation sometimes teaches us, that conviction does not always end in conversion; the cares and pleasures of this life, or the deceitfulness of riches, conspire to destroy the seed sown by the word, unless the Lord the Spirit prepare the soil, and dispose the heart, to receive and retain it: where it is not thus, it frequently happens, that "Pleasures or cares some fresh attack begin, Objects without, or passions from within.In vain he seeks to shun th' unpleasing strife, Still harass'd in the civil feud of life; In vain his pow'rs would turn on reason's part, † The holy and almighty arm of God may be said to have got him the victory over the opposing power of unbelief in the soul, when the understanding and judgment are, by the word and Spirit, convinced of the reality and excellency of divine truths, and the salvation of Jesus: then the blessed work is, by grace, carried prosperously on; wordly reason is silenced and subdued; the glories of redemption are expounded to the humbled and inquiring soul; the suitableness of the Saviour in all his offices, and the reasonableness of serving, loving, and praising God for every mercy of his providence, appear in a delightful point of view, and constrain to love and holy obedience. True faith in the heart always shews itself by gratitude to God for his distinguishing goodness, and will ever be accompanied by a godly life and conversation. I Then said the Giant (for Diabolus was also come down) to the captain: Mr. Captain, you have, by your boldness, given to Mansoul at least four summonses, to subject herself to your King: by whose authority, I know not; nor will I dispute that now. I ask, therefore, what is the reason of all this ado? or what would you be at, if you knew yourselves? Then captain Boanerges, whose were the black colours, and whose escutcheon was three burning thunderbolts (taking no notice of the giant, or of his speech,) thus addressed himself to the town of Mansoul: Be it known unto you, O unhappy and rebellious Mansoul! that the most gracious King, the great King Shaddai, my master, hath sent me unto you, with commission (and so he shewed to the town his broad seal) to reduce you to his obedience. And he hath commanded me, in case you yield to my summons, to carry it to you as if you were my friends or brethern; but he also hath bid, that if after summons to submit, you still stand out and rebel, we should endeavour to take you by force.* Then stood forth captain Conviction, and said (his were the pale colours, and for a scutcheon he had the book of the law wide open, &c.) Hear, O Mansoul Thou, O Mansoul, wast once famous for innocency, but now thou art degenerated into lies and deceit; Rom. iii. 10-19, 23. xvi. 17, 18. Psalm. 21, 22. Thou hast heard what my brother, the captain Boanerges, hath just now said, and it is your wisdom, and will be your happiness, to stoop to, and accept of, conditions Thus is the love of God set forth in a beautiful manner, endeavouring by gentleness and persuasion to turn the hearts of miserable sinners to the ways of truth. So spiritually dead, and lost to all sense of duty, is fallen man, that none but Christ, the almighty Saviour, who in due time died for the ungodly, could restore the perishing soul to happiness and peace; and (eternal blessings on him!) " Upon the chaos of man's world he came, And pierc'd the darkness with his living beam; And bid the tempest of the soul be still." Brooke's Redemption. |