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These four The four captains have each ten thousand men under them.

captains, as I said, had every one of them under his command ten thousand men, all of good fidelity to the King, and stout at their military actions1.

Well, the captains and their forces, their men and under officers, being had upon a day by Shaddai into the field, and there called over by their names, were then and there put into such harness as became their degree, and that service that now they were going about for their king.

Now when the king had mustered his forces (for it was he that mustered the host to the battle), he gave unto the captains their several commissions, with charge and commandment, in the audience of all the soldiers, that they should take heed faithfully and courageously to do and execute the same. Their commissions were, for the substance of them, the same in form, though as to

1 In all ages of the world, even those previous to the incarnation of Christ, God has sent messages of mercy to his sinful creatures by his servants, whose various gifts are described by the four captains. Boanerges (Mark iii. 17.) signifies the powerful and awakening preaching of the word; Conviction means the awful display of the holy law, as at Sinai, with its proper effect on the conscience, convincing of the transgressions committed against it; Judgment is designed to shew the terror of a sinner, alarmed by the dreadful threatenings of offended justice, and expectation of the great day of accounts; and Execution may signify the fulfilment of those threatenings in the final destruction of impenitent and unbelieving sinners, who reject the overtures of mercy in the gospel. These are the instruments which God is pleased generally to employ in convincing and converting sinners, as might be exemplified in the case of the jailer, Acts xvi.; but he sometimes works with equal efficacy by milder means, and at once gently opens the heart to admit Immanuel, as in the instance of Lydia, mentioned in the saine chapter.

E 2

name, title, place, and degree of the captains, there might be some, but very small variation: and here let me give you an account of the matter and sum contained in their commission.

A Commission from the great King Shaddai, King of Mansoul, to his trusty and noble Captain, the Captain Boanerges, for making War upon the Town of Mansoul.

Commission

O Thou Boanerges, one of my stout and thundering captains, over one ten from the great thousand of my valiant and faithful King Shaddai. 6 servants, Matt. x. 11. Luke x. 5. go ⚫ thou in my name, with this thy force, to the mi'serable town of Mansoul, and when thou comest thither, offer them first conditions of peace; and command them, that, casting off the yoke and tyranny of the wicked Diabolus, they return to me, their rightful prince and lord; `command 'them also, that they cleanse themselves from all that is in the town of Mansoul, (and look to thyself, that thou have good satisfaction touching the truth of their obedience.) Thus when thou hast commanded them (if they in truth submit thereto), then do thou to the uttermost of thy · power, what in thee lies, to set up for me a garrison in the famous town of Mansoul; nor do thou hurt the least native that moveth or 'breatheth therein, if they will submit themselves to me, but treat thou such as if they were thy friends or brethren; for all such I love, and they ❝ shall be dear unto me; and tell them, that I will 'take a time to come unto them, and to let them know that I am merciful, 1 Thess. ii. 7-11.

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But if they shall, notwithstanding thy summons, and the producing of my authority, resist,

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'stand out against thee, and rebel; then I do command thee to make use of all thy cunning, C power, might, and force, to bring them under by strength of hand. Farewell.'

Thus you see the sum of their commissions; for, as I said before, for the substance of them, they were the same that the rest of the noble captains had.

for a march.

Wherefore they having received each commander his authority at the hand of their king; the day being appointed, and the place of their rendezvous prefixed, each commander appearing in such gallantry as his cause and calling required; so after a new entertainment from They prepare Shaddai, with flying colours they set forward to march towards the famous town of Mansoul. Captain Boanerges led the van, Captain Conviction and Captain Judgment made up the main body, and Captain Execution brought up the rear. They then having a great way to go (for the town of Mansoul was far off from the court of Shaddai, Eph. ii. 13, 17.) marched through the regions and countries of many people, not hurting or abusing any, but blessing wherever they came. They also lived upon the king's cost, all the way they went 2.

Having travelled thus for many days, at last they came within sight of Mansoul; the which when they saw, the captains could for their hearts do no less for a while than bewail the condition of the town;

2 Fallen man is indeed very far from God and righteousness; but," in Christ Jesus, they who were sometimes far off, are made nigh by his blood." To effect this, God sends his ministers, who come not on " this warfare at their own charges," but are supported by their divine master, and whose hearts are affected with the miserable condition of their fellow

men.

for they quickly saw that it was prostrate to the will of Diabolus, and to his ways and designs.

Well, to be short, the captains come up before the town, march up to Ear-gate, and sit down there (for that was the place of hearing). So when they had pitched their tents, and intrenched themselves, they addressed themselves to make their assault.

The world are convinced by

the well-ordered life of the godly.

Now the townsfolk at first, beholding so gallant a company so bravely accoutred, and so excellently disciplined, having on their glittering armour, and displaying their colours, could not but come out of their houses and gaze. But the cunning fox Diabolus, fearing that the people, after this sight, should, on a sudden summons, open the gates to the captains, came down with all haste from the castle, and made them retire into the body of the town; who, when he had them there, made this lying and deceivable speech unto them3.

from them.

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'Gentlemen,' quoth he, although you are my Diabolus alien- trusty and well-beloved friends, yet ates their minds I cannot but (a little) chide you for your late uncircumspect action, in going out to gaze on that great and mighty force that but yesterday sat down before (and have now intrenched themselves, in order to the maintaining of the siege against) the famous town of Mansoul. Do you know who they are? whence they came? and what is their purpose in sitting down before the town of Mansoul? They are they

3.There is such a beauty and glory in the holy walk of godly ministers and sincere christians, that the world cannot help admiring and commending them; it is therefore the interest of Satan, by all means to prejudice their minds against them, by such abominable lies as those contained in the following speech.

of whom I have told you long ago, that they would come to destroy this town, and against whom I have been at the cost to arm you cap-apié for your body, besides great fortifications for

Satan greatly afraid of God's ministers, that they will set Mansoul against him.

your mind. Wherefore then did you not rather, even at the first appearance of them, cry out, Fire the beacons, and give the whole town an alarm concerning them, that we might all have been in a posture of defence, and have been ready to have received them with the highest acts of defiance? then had you shewed yourselves men to my liking, whereas by what you have done, you have made me half afraid; I say, half afraid, that when they and we shall come to push a pike, I shall find you want courage to stand it out any longer. Wherefore have I commanded a watch, and that you should double your guards at the gates? Wherefore have I endeavoured to make you as hard as iron, and your hearts as a piece of the nether millstone? Was to bid defiance it, think you, that you might shew yourselves women; and that you might go out, like a company of innocents to gaze on your mortal foe? Fie, fie, put yourselves into a posture of defence, beat up the drum, gather together in warlike manner, that our foes may know, that, before they shall conquer this corporation, there are valiant men in Mansoul.

He stirs them up

to the ministers of the word.

'I will leave off now to chide, and will not further rebuke you: but I charge you, that henceforwards you let me see no more of such actions. Let not henceforwards a man of you, without order first obtained from me, so much as shew his head over the wall of the town of Mansoul: you

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