An army of Doubters raised to go against the town of Man

soul.

The princes of the pit go with

lords was, That Diabolus should even now out of hand beat his up drum for men in the land of Doubting, which land lieth upon the confines of the place called Hell-gateHill, for men that might be employed by him against the miserable town of Mansoul. It was also concluded, that these lords themselves should help him in the war, and that they would, to that end, head and manage his men. So they drew up a letter, and sent it back to the Diabo lonians that lurked in Mansoul, and that waited for the coming back of Mr. Profane, to signify to them into what method they had put their design. The contents whereof follow.

⚫them.

"From the dark and horrible Dungeon of Hell, Diabolus, with all the Society of the Princes of Darkness, sends to our trusty ones, in and about the Walls of the town of Mansoul, now impatiently waiting for our most devilish Answer to their venomous and most poisonous Design against the Town of Mansoul.

“Our native ones, in whom from day to day we boast, and in whose actions all the year long we greatly delight ourselves: we received your welcome, because highly esteemed letter, at the hand of our trusty and greatly beloved, the old gentleman, Mr. Profane; and do give you to understand, that when we had broken it up, and had read the contents thereof (to your amazing memory be it spoken) our yawning hollow-bellied place where we are, made so hideous and yelling a noise for joy, that the mountains that stand round about Hell-gate Hill had like to have been shaken to pieces at the sound thereof.

"We could also do no less than admire your faithfulness to us, with the greatness of that subtilty that now hath showed itself to be in your heads to serve us against the town of Mansoul. For you have invented for us so excellent a method for our proceeding against that rebellious people, that a more effectual cannot be thought of by all the wits of hell. The proposals therefore which now at last you have sent us, since we saw them, we have done little else but highly approved and admired them.

"Nay we shall, to encourage you in the profundity of your craft, let you know, that at a full assembly and conclave of our princes and principalities of this place, your project was discoursed and tossed from one side of our cave to the other by their mightinesses; but a better, and, as was by themselves judged, a more fit and proper way, by all their wits could not to be invented, to surprize, take, and make our own, the rebellious town of Mansoul.

"Wherefore, in fine, all that was said that varied from what you had in your letter propounded, fell of itself to the ground, and your's only was stuck to by Diabolus the prince; yea, his gaping gorge and yawning paunch was on fire to put your invention into execution.

An army of more than twenty thou

sand doubters to go against

"We therefore give you to understand, that our stout, furious, and unmerciful Diabolus, is raising for your relief, and the ruin of the rebellious town of Mansoul, more than twenty thousand doubters to come against that people. They are all stout and sturdy men, and men that of old have been accustomed to war. I say, he is doing this work of his with all the speed he can, for with his heart and spirit he is engaged

Mansoul.

in it. We desire, therefore, that as you have hitherto stuck to us, and given us both advice and encouragement, you still will prosecute our design, nor shall you lose, but be gainers thereby; yea, we intend to make you the lords of Mansoul.

"One thing may not by any means be omitted, that is, those with us desire, that every one of you that are in Mansoul would still use all your power, cunning, and skill, with delusive persuasions, yet to draw the town of Mansoul into more sin and wickedness, even that sin may be finished, and bring forth death.

cluded

"For thus it is concluded with us, that the more vile, sinful, and debauched the town of Mansoul is, the more backward will their Immanuel be to come to their help, either by presence, or other relief; yea, the more sinful, the more weak, and so the more unable will they be to make resistance, when we shall make our assault upon them to swallow them up. Yea, they may cause that their mighty Shaddai himself may cast them out of his protection; yea, and send for his captains and soldiers home, with his slings and rams, and leave them naked and bare, and then the town of Mansoul will of itself open to us, and fall as a fig into the mouth of the eater. Yea, to be sure that we then with a great deal of ease shall come upon her, and overcome her.

Mansoul is to be assaulted both

"As to the time of our coming upon Mansoul, we as yet have not fully resolved upon that, though at present some of us think, as you, that a market-day or a market-day at night, will cer tainly be the best 16. However, do you be ready,

within and without.

16 A market-day, at night. At that season how many tradesmen are full of the world; and too many, who visit

and when you shall hear our roaring drum without, do you be as busy to make the most horrible confusion within, 1 Pet. v. 8; so shall Mansoul certainly be distressed before and behind, and shall not know which way to betake herself for help. My Lord Lucifer, my Lord Beelzebub, my Lord Apollyon, my Lord Legion, with the rest, salute you, as does also my Lord Diabolus; and we wish both you, with all that you do or shall possess, the very self-same fruit and success for your doing, as we ourselves at present enjoy for

our's.

"From our dreadful confines in the most fear

ful pit, we salute you, and so do those many legions here with us, wishing you may be as hellishly prosperous as we desire to be ourselves. By the letter carrier, Mr. Profane." Then Mr. Profane addressed himself for his return to Mansoul, with his errand from the horrible. pit to the Diabolonians that dwelt in that town. So he came up the stairs from the deep to the mouth of the cave where Cerberus was. Now when Cerberus saw him, he asked how matters went below, about, and against the town of Mansoul.

Conversation between the keeper of

Profane. Things go as well as we can expect. The letter that I carried thither was highly approved, and well liked by all my lords, and I am returning to tell our Diabolonians so. I have an answer to it here in my bosom, that I am sure will make our masters that sent me, glad; for the contents thereof are to encourage them to pursue their design to the utmost,

hell-gate, and the bearer of the letter.

markets from the country, "overcharged with surfeiting, drunkenness, and the cares of this life " "Be sober, be vigilant." 1 Pet. v. 8.

•

and to be ready also to fall on within, when they shall see my Lord Diabolus beleaguering of the town of Mansoul.

Cerberus. But does he intend to go against them himself?

Profane. Does he? Ay, and he will take along with him more than twenty thousand all sturdy Doubters, and nien of war, picked men from the land of Doubting, to serve him in the expedition.

Cerberus. Then was Cerberus glad, and said, And are there such brave preparations a making to go against the miserable town of Mansoul? And would I might be put at the head of a thousand of them, that I might also shew my valour against the famous town of Mansoul.

Profane. Your wish may come to pass, you look like one that has mettle enough, and my lord will have with him those that are valiant and stout. But my business requires haste.

Cerberus. Ay, so it does. Speed thee to the town of Mansoul, with all the deepest mischiefs that this place can afford thee. And when thou shalt come to the house of Mr. Mischief, the place where the Diabolonians meet to plot, tell them that Cerberus doth wish them his service, and that if he may, he will with the army come up against the famous town of Mansoul.

Profane. That I will. And I know that my lords that are there will be glad to hear it, and to see you also.

The messenger, Mr. Profane, proceeds on his errand.

So after a few more such kind of compliments, Mr. Profane took leave of his friend Cerberus; and Cerberus again, with a thousand of their pit wishes, bid him haste with all speed to his masters. The which when he had heard he made obeisance, and began to gather up his heels to run.

Thus therefore he returned, and came to Man