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to the old inhabitants of Mansoul. Bend therefore, said the noble prince, the hottest front of the battle against Diabolus and his men.

So the day being come, the command was The battle join- given, and the prince's men stood bravely to their arms; nor did, as before, bend their forces against Ear

ed, and they fight on both sides fiercely.

gate and Eye-gate. The word was then, MANSOUL IS WON: So they made their assault upon the town. Diabolus also, as fast as he could, with the main of his power, made resistance from within, and his high lords and chief captains for a time fought very cruelly against the prince's army.

But, after three or four notable charges by_the prince and his noble captains, EarEar-gate broke gate was broke open, and the bars open. and bolts, wherewith it was used to be fast shut up against the prince, were broken into a thousand pieces. Then did the prince's trumpets sound, the captains shout, the standard set up, his hold. Well, when the prince's town shake, and Diabolus retreat to forces had broke open the gate, himself came up, and did set up his throne in it; also he set his standard near it, upon

The prince's

and the slings

are played still at the castle.

7 Thus was the promise fulfilled, Isa. xxix. 18, "in that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book;" and xxxv. 18, "the ears of the deaf shall be opened." It is a glorious event, when the soul is made sincerely willing to listen to the word of God, when it truly says "speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth;" for the way is strait, as the author observes, from Eargate to the Recorder's house, that is, to the conscience; and from thence to the Castle, that is, the heart. The importance of opening Ear-gate may be learned from that frequent expression in our Lord's discourses-" he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear." May God bestow the "hearing ear" upon every reader!

K

* Conscience.

a mount that his men had before cast up to place the mighty slings thereon. The mount was called Mount Hearwell; there therefore the prince abode, to wit, hard by the going in at the gate. He commanded also that the golden slings should yet be played upon the town, especially against the castle, because for shelter thither was Diabolus retreated. Now from Ear-gate the street was strait, even to the house of him who was the recorder 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 quickly cleared the street by the use of their slings, so that way was made up to the heart of the town. Then the prince commanded 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 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 gates; and no man making answer, he gave it one stroke with the head of a ram, and this made the old gentleman shake, and his house tremble and totter. Then came Mr. Recorder down to the gate, and as well as he could, with quivering lips, he asked who was there? Boanerges answered, "We are

They go to the
Recorder's

house.

They demand

entrance.

the captains and commanders of the great Shaddai, and of the blessed Immanuel his son, and we demand possession of your house for the use of our noble prince." And with that the battering-ram gave the gate another shake: this made the old gentleman tremble the more, yet durst he not but open the gate; then the king's forces marched in, namely, the three brave captains men'They go in. tioned before. Now the recorder's house, was a place of much convenience for Immanuel, not only because it was near and fronted the castle, the den where now Diabolus was; for he was now afraid to come out of his hold.

They keep themselves reservedly from the recorder.

His house the seat of war.

As

for Mr. Recorder, the captains carried it very reservedly to him: as yet he knew nothing of the great designs of Immanuel; so that he did not know what judgment to make, nor what would be the end of such thundering beginnings. It was noised in the town, how the recorder's house was possessed, his rooms taken up, and his palace made the seat of war; and no sooner was it noised abroad, but they took the alarm as warmly, and gave it out to others of his friends; and as, you know, a snow-ball loses nothing by rolling, so in little time the whole town was possessed, that they must expect nothing from the prince but destruction; and the ground of the business was this, the recorder trembled, and the captains carried it strangely to him: so many came to see; but when they with

8 The conscience submits and trembles. When the soul listens to the threatenings of the holy law, conscience cannot but fear and quake, and till further enlightened with the knowledge of the gospel, and the gracious design of God by his gospel, can think and talk of nothing but “death and destruction."

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