day, but he from the top of the hold shewed himself with the sound of trumpet to Mansoul, and to the prince's camp.

Thus have I shewn you the manner and way that Immanuel took to recover the town of Mansoul from under the hand and power of the tyrant Diabolus.

Now when the prince had completed these outward ceremonies of his joy, he again The prince displays his graces commanded that his captains and before Mansoul. soldiers should shew unto Mansoul some feats of war. So they presently addressed themselves to this work. But oh! with what agility, nimbleness, dexterity, and bravery, did these military men discover their skill in feats of war to the now gazing town of Mansoul!

They marched, they countermarched, they opened to the right and left, they divided and subdivided, they closed, they wheeled, made good their front and rear with their right and left wings, and twenty things more, with that aptness, and then were all as they were again, that they took,

They are ravished at the sight of them.

yea ravished the hearts that were in Mansoul to behold it. But add to this, the handling of their arms, the managing of their weapons of war, were marvellous taking to Mansoul and me*.

When this action was over, the whole town of Mansoul came out as one man to the prince in the camp, to praise him, and thank him for his abundant favour, and to beg that it would please his

"The prince displays his graces;"-they are shewn the use of them in that warfare which must now begin; Faith, or Credence, shews himself from the castle, the heart, where he has now taken his residence, that Christ may dwell in the heart by faith.

They beg that the prince and his men would dwell with

them for ever.

Grace to come unto Mansoul with his men, and there to take up their quarters for ever. And this they did in the most humble manner, bowing themselves seven times to the ground before him. Then said he, "All peace be to you:" So the town came nigh, and touched with the hand the top of his golden sceptre; and they said, Oh! that the prince Immanuel, with his captains and men of war, would dwell in Mansoul for ever; and that his battering rams and slings might be lodged in her, for the use and service of the prince, and for the help and strength of Mansoul! for, said they, we have room for thee, we have room for thy men, we have also room for thy weapons of war, and a place to make a magazine for thy carriages. Do it, Immanuel, and thou shalt be king and captain in Mansoul for ever: Say, and hold to it, Mansoul. yea, govern thou also according to all the desire of thy soul, and make thou governors and princes under thee of thy captains and men of war, and we will become thy servants, and thy laws shall be our direction.

They added moreover, and prayed his Majesty to consider thereof; for, said they, if now, after all this grace bestowed upon us thy miserable town of Mansoul, thou shouldst withdraw, thou and thy captains from us, the town of Mansoul will die. Yea, said they, our blessed Immanuel, if thou shouldst depart from us now, after thou hast done so much good for us, and shewed so much mercy unto us, what will follow, but that our joy will be as if it had not been, and our enemies will a second time come upon us with more rage than at the first? Wherefore we beseech thee, O thou the desire of our eyes, and the strength and life of our poor town, accept of this motion that now we have

made unto our Lord, and come and dwell in the midst of us, and let us be thy people. Besides, Lord, we do not know but that to this Their fears. day many Diabolonians may be yet lurking in the town of Mansoul; and they will betray us, when thou shalt leave us, into the hands of Diabolus again; and who knows what designs, plots, and contrivances, have passed betwixt them about these things already? Loth we are to fall again into his horrible hands. Wherefore let it please thee to accept of our palace for thy place of residence, and of the houses of the best men in our town for the reception of thy soldiers, and their furniture".

Then said the prince, If I come to your town, will you suffer me further to prosecute The prince's question to that which is in my heart against mine enemies and your's? Yea, will you help

Mansoul.

me in such undertakings?

They answered, We know not what we shall do; we did not think once that we Their answer. should have been such traitors to Shaddai as we have proved to be. What then shall we say to our Lord? Let him put no trust in his saints; let the prince dwell in our castle, and make of our town a garrison; let him set his noble captains and his warlike soldiers over us; yea, let him conquer us with his love, and overcome us, and help us, as he was and did that morning our pardon was read unto us, we shall comply

5 Converted souls will most sincerely and earnestly desire the constant residence of Christ with them as their king and captain. This is always the language of first love; but let the caution in the margin be noticed, " Say, and hold to it, Mansoul." Happy are they who continue in this good mind all their days. But the sequel of the story will shew how changeable a creature is man.

with this our Lord and with his ways, and fall in with his word against the mighty.

One word more, and thy servants have done, and in this will trouble our Lord no more. We know not the depth of the wisdom of thee our prince. Who could have thought, that had been ruled by his reason, that so much sweet as we now enjoy should have come out of those bitter trials wherewith we were tried at the first! But, Lord, let light go before, and let love come They pray to be directed by Im- after: yea, take us by the hand, and lead us by thy counsels; and let this always abide upon us, that all things shall be for the best for thy servants, and come to our Mansoul, do as it pleaseth thee. Or, Lord, come to our Mansoul, and do what thou wilt, so thou keepest us from sinning, and makest us serviceable to thy Majesty 6.

manuel.

He consenteth to dwell in Man

soul, and pro

in to-morrow

Then said the prince to the town of Mansoul again, Go, return to your houses in peace. I will willingly in this comply with your desires: I will remove miseth to come my royal pavilion; I will draw up my forces before Eye-gate to-morand so will march forwards into the town of Mansoul; I will possess myself of your castle of Mansoul, and will set my soldiers over you; yea, I will yet do things in Mansoul that cannot be paralleled in any nation, country, or kingdom under heaven.

row,

Then did the men of Mansoul give a shout, and return into their houses in peace; they also told

Holy jealousy well becomes us. However sincerely we resolve upon obedience to the Lord, we must remember that our hearts are treacherous, and that "without him we can do nothing.' To be kept from sin, and made serviceable to Christ, is, however, the prevailing desire of every Christian.

to their kindred and friends the good that Immanuel had promised to Mansoul. And to-morrow, said they, he will march into our town, and take up his dwelling he, and his men, in Mansoul".

Then went out the inhabitants of the town of Mansoul with haste to the green trees, Mansoul's preparation for his and to the meadows, to gather boughs reception. and flowers, therewith to strew the streets against their prince the son of Shaddai should come; they also made garlands and other fine works, to betoken how joyful they were and should be to receive their Immanuel into Mansoul; yea, they strewed the street quite from Eye-gate to the Castle-gate, the place where the prince should be. They also prepared for his coming what music the town of Mansoul could afford, that they might play before him to the place of his habi

tation.

So at the time appointed he makes his approach to Mansoul, and the gates were set open for him; there also the ancients and elders of Mansoul met him, to salute him with a thousand welcomes. Then he arose and entered Mansoul, he and all his servants. The elders of Mansoul also went dancing before him, till he came to the castleHe enters the gates. And this was the manner of town of Man. his going up thither: he was clad in soul, and how. his golden armour, he rode in his royal chariot, the trumpets sounded about him, the colours were displayed, his ten thousands went up at his feet, and the elders of Mansoul danced before him. And now were the walls of

"Well may the soul rejoice that Jesus consents and promises to come and dwell within-" If any man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him,” John xiv. 23.