The Holy War, Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, for the Regaining of the Metropolis of the World; Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of MansoulBunyan, John
ReligionChristian
The Holy War, Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, for the Regaining of the Metropolis of the World; Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of Mansoul
Bunyan, John
Christian fiction; Soul; Spiritual warfare -- Fiction
‘These, O my Mansoul, (and I would gladly that you should certainly know
it,) if they be suffered to run and range about the town as they would,
will quickly, like vipers, eat out your bowels; yea, poison your
captains, cut the sinews of your soldiers, break the bars and bolts of
your gates, and turn your now most flourishing Mansoul into a barren and
desolate wilderness, and ruinous heap. Wherefore, that you may take
courage to yourselves to apprehend these villains wherever you find them,
I give to you, my Lord Mayor, my Lord Willbewill, and Mr. Recorder, with
all the inhabitants of the town of Mansoul, full power and commission to
seek out, to take, and to cause to be put to death by the cross, all, and
all manner of Diabolonians, when and wherever you shall find them to lurk
within, or to range without the walls of the town of Mansoul.
‘I told you before that I had placed a standing ministry among you; not
that you have but these with you, for my first four captains who came
against the master and lord of the Diabolonians that was in Mansoul, they
can, and if need be, and if they be required, will not only privately
inform, but publicly preach to the corporation both good and wholesome
doctrine, and such as shall lead you in the way. Yea, they will set up a
weekly, yea, if need be, a daily lecture in thee, O Mansoul! and will
instruct thee in such profitable lessons, that, if heeded, will do thee
good at the end. And take good heed that you spare not the men that you
have a commission to take and crucify.
‘Now, as I have set before your eyes the vagrants and runagates by name,
so I will tell you, that among yourselves, some of them shall creep in to
beguile you, even such as would seem, and that in appearance are, very
rife and hot for religion. And they, if you watch not, will do you a
mischief, such an one as at present you cannot think of.
‘These, as I said, will show themselves to you in another hue than those
under description before. Wherefore, Mansoul, watch and be sober, and
suffer not thyself to be betrayed.’
When the Prince had thus far new modelled the town of Mansoul, and had
instructed them in such matters as were profitable for them to know, then
he appointed another day in which he intended, when the townsfolk came
together, to bestow a further badge of honour upon the town of Mansoul,—a
badge that should distinguish them from all the people, kindreds, and
tongues that dwell in the kingdom of Universe. Now it was not long
before the day appointed was come, and the Prince and his people met in
the King’s palace, where first Emmanuel made a short speech unto them,
and then did for them as he had said, and unto them as he had promised.
‘My Mansoul,’ said he, ‘that which I now am about to do, is to make you
known to the world to be mine, and to distinguish you also in your own
eyes, from all false traitors that may creep in among you.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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