1 his coming, gave a shout that made the earth rend at the sound thereof; yea, the mountains answered the echo, and Diabolus himself tottered and shook. Diabolus afraid Now you must know, that though the town of Mansoul itself was not much, if at all, concerned with the project (for, alas for them! they were wofully besotted, for they chiefly regarded their pleasure and lusts); yet Diabolus their governor was, for he had his spies continually abroad, who brought him intelligence of all things; and they told him what was doing at court against him, and that Immanuel would certainly come shortly with a power to invade him. Nor was there any man in court, nor peer of the kingdom, that Diabolus so feared, as he feared this prince: for, if you remember, I shewed you before, that Diabolus had felt the weight of his hand already; so that since it was he that was to come, this made him sore afraid. Well, you see how I have told you that the king's son was engaged to come from the court to save Mansoul, and that his father had made him The Prince captain of the forces; the time thereaddresses fore for his setting forth being now exhimself for pired, he addressed himself for the his journey. march; and taking with him, for his power, five noble captains and their forces. 1. The first was that famous captain, the noble Captain Credence; his were the red colours, and Mr. Promise bare them, John i. 29. Eph. vi. 16: and for an escutcheon he had the holy lamb and golden shield; and he had ten thousand men at his feet. 2. The second was that famous captain the Captain Good Hope; his were the blue colours, Heb. vi. 19. His standard-bearer was Mr. Expectation; and for an escutcheon he had three golden anchors; and he had ten thousand men at his feet. 3. The third was that valiant captain, the Captain Charity, 1 Cor. xiii. His standard-bearer was Mr. Pitiful; his were the green colours, and for his escutcheon he had three naked orphans embraced in the bosom; and he had ten thousand at his feet. 4. The fourth was that gallant commander, the Captain Innocent, Mat. x. 16. His standardbearer was Mr. Harmless; his were the white colours, and for his escutcheon he had three golden doves. 5. The fifth was that truly loyal and well-beloved captain the Captain Patience: his standardbearer was Mr. Suffer-long; his were the black colours, and for an escutcheon he had three arrows through a golden heart. work. These were Immanuel's captains, these their Faith and pa- standard-bearers, their colours and estience do the cutcheons, and these the men under their command, Heb. vi. 21. So, as was said, the brave prince took his march, to go to the town of Mansoul. Captain Credence led the van, and Captain Patience brought up the rear. So the other three, with their men, made up the main body. The prince himself rode in his chariot at the head of them9. 9 When Jesus girds his sword upon his thigh to effect the conquest of the human soul, he comes gloriously attended with those heavenly graces-faith, hope, love, innocence, and patience. Faith leads the van; patience brings up the rear. Jesus himself, the captain of our salvation, heads the noble army, and conducts the holy war. "Ride prosperously, gracious Their march to But when they set out for their march, oh how the trumpets sounded, their armour wards Mansoul. glittered, and how the colours waved in the wind! The prince's armour was all gold, and it shone like the sun in the firmament. The captains' armour was of proof, and was in appearance like the glittering There were also some from the court that rode reformades 10, for the love that they had to the king Shaddai, and for the happy deliverance of the town of Mansoul. stars. ble, contain Immanuel also, when he had thus set forwards The holy Bi- to go to recover the town of Mansoul, took with him, at the command of his ing 66 books. father, fifty-four battering-rams, and twelve slings to whirl stones withal. Every one of these was made of pure gold; and these they carried with them in the heart and body of their army, all along as they went to Mansoul". So they marched till they came within less than a league of the town; and there they lay till the first four captains came thither to acquaint them with matters. Then they took their journey to go to the town of Mansoul, and unto The forces join- Mansoul they came; but when the ed with rejoicing. old soldiers that were in the camp saw that they had new forces to join with, they majesty, because of truth, meekness, and righteousness, and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things," Ps. xlv. 4. 10' Reformades, an old word signifying volunteers: the angels are intended, because "ministering spirits," who delight to explore the wonders of redemption, and to serve the heirs of salvation. 11 The several books of the Old and New Testament, in number 66, are here compared to military engines, such as were formerly used to batter walls and gates. These are the proper weapons of the holy war, and they are, indeed, mighty through God to the pulling down the strong holds of the devil. Mansoul beleaguered round. Mounts cast up against it. again gave such a shout before the walls of Månsoul, that it put Diabolus into another fright. So they sat down before the town, not now as the other four captains did, to wit, against the gates of Mansoul only, but they environed it round on every side, and beset it behind and before; so that now, let Mansoul look which way it would, it saw force and power lie in siege against it. Beside, there were mounts cast up against it; the Mount Gracious was on the one side, and Mount Justice on the other. Farther, there were several small banks and advance grounds, as Plain-truth-hill, and No-sin-banks, where many of the slings were placed against the town. Upon Mount Gracious were planted four, and upon Mount Justice were placed as many : and the rest were conveniently placed in several parts round about the town. Five of the best battering rams, that is, of the biggest of them, were placed upon Mount Hearken, a mount cast up hard by Ear-gate, with intent to break that open. Now when the town of Mansoul saw the multiThe heart of tude, and the soldiers that were come Mansoul be- up against the place, and the rams gins to fail. and slings, and the mounts on which they were planted; together with the glittering of the armour, and the waving of their colours; they were forced to shift and shift, and again to shift their thoughts; but they hardly changed for thoughts more stout, but rather for thoughts more faint; for though before they thought themselves sufficiently guarded, yet now they began to think that no man knew what would be their hap or lot 12. 12 Thus the soul which the Lord designs to save is surrounded on all sides. Grace and justice, plain truth, and opposi The white flag hung out. When the good prince Immanuel had thus beleaguered Mansoul, in the first place he hangs out the white flag, which he caused to be set up among the golden slings that were planted upon Mount Gracious. And this he did for two reasons: 1. To give notice to Mansoul, that he could and would yet be gracious, if they turned to him. 2. And that he might leave them the more without excuse, should he destroy them, they continuing in their rebellion. So the white flag, with the three golden doves on it, was hung out for two days together, to give them time and space to consider. But they, as was hinted before, as if they were unconcerned, made no reply to the favourable signal of the prince. Then he commanded, and they set the red flag hung out. upon that mount called Justice. It The red flag was the red flag of Captain Judgment, whose escutcheon was the burning fiery furnace also this stood waving before them in the wind for several days together. But look how they carried it under the white flag, when that was hung out, so did they also when the red one was! and yet he took no advantage of them. Then he The black flag commanded again that his servants should hang out the black flag of Defiance against them, whose escutcheon was the three burning thunderbolts. But as unconcerned was Mansoul at hung out. tion to sin, are visible on every hand. Thus many searchings of heart are excited, men's hearts failing for fear, not knowing what the end of these things will be. But the white flag sufficiently intimates the merciful designs of Immanuel, so, in preaching the gospel, mercy is the prominent object. |