CHAP. IX.

The liberated Prisoners return to Mansoul, where they are received with the utmost Demonstrations of Joy....At the Request of the Inhabitants Immanuel consents to reside in the Town....He makes a public triumphal Entry....The Town is new modelled, and the Image of Shaddai erected.

WELL, I told you before how the prisoners

The town of Mansoul in suspense concerning the fate of the prisoners.

were entertained by the noble prince Iminanuel, and how they behaved themselves before him, and how he sent them away to their home with pipe and tabor going before them. And now you must think that those of the town, that had all this while waited to hear of their death, could not but be exercised with sadness of mind, and with thoughts that pricked like thorns. Nor could their thoughts be kept to any one point; the wind blew them all this while at great uncertainties, yea, their hearts were like a balance that had been disquieted with a shaking hand. But at last, as they, with many a long look, looked over the wall of Mansoul, they thought they saw some return to the town; and thought again, who should they be too, who should they be? As last they discerned that they were the prisoners; but can you imagine how their hearts were surprised with wonder, especially when they perceived also in what equipage, and with what honour, they were sent home! They went down to the camp in black, but they came back to the town in white; they went down to the camp in ropes, they came

A strange alteration.

back in chains of gold; they went down to the camp with feet in fetters, but came back with their steps enlarged under them; they went to the camp looking for death, but came back from thence with assurance of life; they went down to the camp with heavy hearts, but came back again with pipe and tabor playing before them. The prisoners As soon as they came to Eye-gate, return to Eyethe gate, and are re- poor and tottering town of Manceived with a soul adventured to give a shout: and shout. they gave such a shout as made the captains in the prince's army leap at the sound thereof. Alas for them, poor hearts! who could blame them'? since their dead friends were come to life again; for it was to them as life from the dead, to see the ancients of the town of Mansoul shine in such splendour. They looked for nothing but the axe and the block; but behold, joy and gladness, comfort and consolation, and such melodious notes attending them, that was sufficient to make a sick man well, Isa. xxxiii. 24. So when they came up, they saluted each other: Welcome, welcome, and blessed be he that spared you! They added also, We see it is well with you; but how must it go with the town of Mansoul? will it go well with the town of Mansoul? said they. Then answered them the recorder and my lord-mayor: Oh! tidings! glad tidings! good tidings of good, and of great joy to poor Mansoul! Then they gave another shout that made the earth

And

1 Who, indeed, can blame the holy joy of pardoned souls. When the Philippian jailer believed," he rejoiced with all his house;" and when Samaria received the gospel, "there was great joy in that city." The author refers to Isa. xxxiii. 24. "The inhabitant shall not say I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity;—as if nothing could be complained of, if pardon be obtained.

ring again. After this, they inquired yet more particularly how things went in the camp, and what message they had from Immanuel to the town. So they told them all passages that had happened to them at the camp, and every thing that the prince did to them. This made Mansoul wonder at the wisdom and grace of the prince Immanuel: then they told them what they had received at his hands for the whole town of Mansoul, and the recorder delivered it in these words: "Pardon, pardon for Mansoul; and this shall Mansoul know to-morrow.' Then he commanded, and they went and summoned Mansoul to meet together in the market-place to-morrow, there to hear their general pardon read.

O the joy! par

don for sin!

Town-talk of

But who can think what a turn, what a change, what an alteration this hint of things made in the countenance of the town of Mansoul! No man of Mansoul could sleep that night for joy; in every house there was joy and music, singing and making merry: telling and hearing of Immanuel's happiness, was then all that Mansoul had to do: and this was the burden of all their song, Oh more of this at the rising of the sun! more the king's of this to-morrow! Who thought yesterday, one would say, that this day would have been such a day to us! And who thought, that saw our prisoners go down in irons, that they should have returned in chains of gold! Yea, they that judged themselves, as they went to be judged of their judge, were by his mouth acquitted; not for that they were innocent, but of the prince's mercy, and sent home with pipe and tabor. But is this the common custom of princes? Do they use to shew such kind of favours to traitors? No!

mercy,

And of his son
Immanuel.

this is only peculiar to Shaddai, and unto Immanuel his son 2.

Now morning drew on apace; wherefore the lord-mayor, the Lord Will-be-will, and Mr. Recorder, came down to the market-place at the time that the prince had appointed, where the townsfolk were waiting for them: and when they came, they came in that attire and in that glory which the prince had put them into the day before, and the street was 'lightened with their glory: so the mayor, recorder, and my Lord Will-be-will, drew down to Mouth-gate, which was at the lower end of the market-place, because that of old time was the place where they used to read public matters: thither therefore they came in their robes, and their tabor went before them. Now the eagerness of the people to know the full matter was great.

reading the pardon.

Then the recorder stood up upon his feet, and, The manner of first beckoning with his hand for silence, he read out with a loud voice the pardon. But when he came to these words, "The Lord, the Lord God is merciful and gracious, pardoning iniquity, transgressions, and sins ;" and to them, "all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven," &c. Exod. xxxiv. Mark iii. they could not forbear leaping for joy ; for this you must know, that there was conjoined herewith every man's name in Mansoul, also the seals of the pardon made a brave shew3.

2 Pardoned sinners will ever magnify the exceeding riches of divine grace; it cannot but appear marvellous beyond expression; in vain the labouring soul attempts to measure the breadth, the length, the depth, and the height of the love of Christ, it surpasses knowledge. "Is this the manner of man, O Lord!" and what more can we say?

3 Believers are said to be "sealed to the day of redemption;"-" '—" sealed with the Holy Spirit ;" the Spirit is himself

How they tread upon the flesh.

When the recorder had made an end of reading the pardon, the townsmen ran upon the walls of the town, leaped thereon for joy, and bowing themselves seven times with their faces towards Immanuel's pavilion, shouted aloud for joy, and said, "Let Immanuel live for ever!"

Lively and

Then order was given to the young men in Mansoul, that they should ring the bells for joy; so the bells rung, the people sung, and the music played in every house in Mansoul.

warm thoughts.

the camp.

When the prince had sent home the three prisoners of Mansoul with joy, and pipe The carriage of and tabor, he commanded his captains, with all the field officers and soldiers throughout his army, to be ready on the morning that the recorder should read the pardon in Mansoul, to do his further pleasure. So the morning, as I have shewed, being come, just as the recorder had made an end of reading the pardon, Immanuel commanded that all the trumpets in the camp should sound, that the colours should be displayed, half of them upon Mount Gracious, and half of them upon Mount Justice. He commanded also, that all the captains should shew

Faith will not be silent when Mansoul is saved.

the seal.

themselves in their complete harness, and that the soldiers should shout for joy. Nor was Captain Credence, though in the castle, silent on such a

"God's sealing of believers, (saith Dr. Owen) is his gracious communication of the Holy Ghost unto them," so to act his divine power in them, as to enable them unto all the duties of their holy calling, evidencing them to be accepted with him, both to themselves and others, and asserting their preservation to eternal salvation. The effects of this sealing, are, gracious operations of the Spirit in and upon believers; but the sealing itself is, the communication of the Spirit unto them."