have now heard me; do as I have commanded, and you shall cause me that I dwell securely with you, and that as I take care for myself, so for your safety and honour also. Farewel'.'

When sinners hearken to Satan, they are set

in a rage against godliness.

:

Now were the townsfolk strangely altered; they were as men stricken with a panic fear they ran to and fro in the streets of the town of Mansoul, crying out, "Help! help! the men that turn the world upside down, are come hither also"." Nor could any of them be quiet after; but still, as men bereft of wit, they cried out, "The destroyers of our peace and people are come." This went down with Diabolus: Ah! quoth he to himself, this I like well, now it is as I would have it, now you shew your obedience to your prince; hold you but here, and then let them take the town if they can.

Well, before the King's forces had set before Mansoul three days, Captain BoanThe King's trumpet sounded erges commanded his trumpeter to at Ear-gate. go down to Ear-gate; and there, in the name of the great Shaddai, to summon Mansoul to give audience to the message that he in his master's name was commanded to deliver to them. So the trumpeter, whose name was Take-heed

It is no uncommon thing to find persons severely blamed and threatened by their carnal relations for going to hear a single sermon from a gospel minister. Upon the very approach of a man of God, Satan would have the inhabitants sound the alarm, and treat him as an enemy. With many obtains his desire; and they will boast that they never entered a place of worship of any other description than that to which their education attached them.

he

5 This was the cry of the ignorant when the apostles preached, and will ever be so, where men are kept by their blind teachers in profound ignorance.

They will not hear.

A second sum

war held.

what-you-hear, went up as he was commanded to Ear-gate, and there sounded his trumpet for a hearing: but there was none that appeared, that gave answer or regard, for so had Diabolus commanded; so the trumpeter returned to his captain, and told him what he had done, and also how he had sped; whereat the captain was grieved, but bid the trumpeter go to his tent. Again Captain Boanerges sendeth his trumpeter to Ear-gate, mons repulsed. to sound as before for an hearing; but they again kept close, came not out, nor would they give him an answer, so observant were they of the command of Diabolus their king. Then the captains and other field-ofA council of ficers called a council of war, to consider what further was to be done for gaining the town of Mansoul: and, after some close and thorough debate upon the contents of their commissions, they concluded yet to give the town, by the hand of the forenamed trumpeter, another summons to hear: but if that shall be refused, say they, and that the town shall stand it out still, Luke xiv. 23. then they determined, and bid the trumpeter tell them so, that they would endeavour by what means they could to compel them by force to the obedience of their king. So Captain Boanerges commanded his trumpeter to go up to Ear-gate again, and, in the name of the great King Shaddai, to give it a very loud summons to come down without delay to Ear-gate, there to give au

A third summons.

6" Faith cometh by hearing." Ministers are therefore to address the outward ear, as the gate that leads to the mind and heart; but alas! too many turn a deaf ear to the messages of heaven.

dience to the king's most noble captains. So the trumpeter went, and did as he was commanded : he went up to Ear-gate, and sounded his trumpet, and gave a third summons to Mansoul, Isa. lviii. 17. He said, moreover, that if this they should still refuse to do, the captains of his prince would with might come down upon them, and endeavour to reduce them to their obedience by force. Then stood up my Lord Will-be-will, who was

Lord Will-be

the governor of the town (this Willwill's speech to be-will was the apostate of whom the trumpeter. mention was made before,) and the keeper of the gates of Mansoul. He therefore, with big and ruffling words, demanded of the trumpeter who he was, whence he came, and what was the cause of his making so hideous a noise at the gate, and speaking such unsufferable words against the town of Mansoul?

The trumpeter.

The trumpeter answered, I am servant to the most noble captain, Captain Boanerges, general of the forces of the great King Shaddai, against whom both thyself and the whole town of Mansoul have rebelled, and lift up the heel; and my master the captain hath a special message to this town, and to thee as a member thereof: the which if you of Mansoul shall peaceably hear, so; if not, take what follows.

Then said the Lord Will-be-will, I will carry the words to my lord, and will know what he will say3.

Will-be-will.

"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Ja

cob their sins.'

How wretchedly are poor sinners enslaved to the devil, "led captive by him at his will," and not daring, as it were,

But the trumpeter replied, saying, Our message is not to the giant Diabolus, but

Trumpeter. to the miserable town of Mansoul; nor shall we at all regard what answer by him is made, nor yet by any for him; we are sent to this town, to recover it from under his cruel tyranny, and to persuade it to submit, as in former times it did, to the most excellent King Shaddai.

Then said the Lord Will-be-will, I Will-be-will. will do your errand to the town. The trumpeter then replied, Sir, do not deceive us, lest, in so doing you deceive yourTrumpeter. selves much more. He added moreover, For we are resolved, if in peaceable manner you do not submit yourselves, then to make war upon you, and bring you under by force. And of the truth of what I say, this shall be a sign unto you, you shall see the black flag, with its hot burning thunderbolts, set upon the mount to-morrow, as a token of defiance against your prince, and of our resolution to reduce you to our Lord and rightful King.

The trumpeter returns to the camp.

So the said Lord Will-be-will returned from off the wall, and the trumpeter came into the camp. When the trumpeter was come into the camp, the captains and officers of the mighty King Shaddai came together, to know if he had obtained a hearing, and what was the effect of his errand. So the trumpeter told, saying, When I had sounded my trumpet, and called aloud to the town for a hearing, my Lord Will-be-will, the governor of the town, and he that hath charge of the gates, came up,

to listen to God without his leave. But the ministers of the gospel must persist, "whether they will hear or whether they will forbear."

when he heard me sound, and, looking over the wall, he asked me what I was, whence I came, and what was the cause of my making this noise? So I told him my errand, and by whose authority I brought it. Then said he, I will tell it the governor, and to Mansoul: and then I returned to my lord.

Carnal souls make a wrong

Then said the brave Boanerges, Let us yet for a while still lie in our trenches, and see what these rebels will do. Now when the time drew nigh that audience by Mansoul must be given to the brave Boanerges and his compa

interpretation of the design of a gospel mi

nistry.

nions, it was commanded, that all the men of war throughout the whole camp of Shaddai should, as one man, stand to their arms, and make themselves ready, if the town of Mansoul shall hear, to receive it forthwith to mercy; but if not, to force it to a subjection. So the day being come, the trumpeters sounded, and that throughout the whole camp, that the men of war might be in readiness for that which then should be the work of the day. But when they that were in the town of Mansoul heard the sound of the trumpet throughout the camp of Shaddai, and thinking no other but that it must be in order to storming the corporation, they at first were put to great consternation of spirit; but after they were a little settled again, they made what preparation they could for a war, if they did storm; else to secure themselves.

Well, when the utmost time was come, Boanerges was resolved to hear their answer; wherefore he sent out his trumpeter again to summon Mansoul to a hearing of the message that they had brought from Shaddai: so he went and sounded, and the townsmen came up, but made Ear-gate as sure as