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
The captains of Emmanuel were clad in silver armour, and the soldiers in
that which was of proof; the soldiers of Diabolus were clad in iron which
was made to give place to Emmanuel’s engine-shot. In the town, some were
hurt, and some were greatly wounded. Now, the worst of it was, a
chirurgeon was scarce in Mansoul, for that Emmanuel at present was
absent. Howbeit, with the leaves of a tree the wounded were kept from
dying; yet their wounds did greatly putrefy, and some did grievously
stink. Of the townsmen, these were wounded, namely, my Lord Reason; he
was wounded in the head. Another that was wounded was the brave Lord
Mayor; he was wounded in the eye. Another that was wounded was Mr. Mind;
he received his wound about the stomach. The honest subordinate preacher
also, he received a shot not far off the heart but none of these were
mortal.
Many also of the inferior sort were not only wounded but slain outright.
Now, in the camp of Diabolus were wounded and slain a considerable
number; for instance, Captain Rage, he was wounded, and so was Captain
Cruel. Captain Damnation was made to retreat, and to intrench himself
further off of Mansoul. The standard also of Diabolus was beaten down,
and his standard-bearer, Captain Much-Hurt, had his brains beat out with
a sling-stone, to the no little grief and shame of his prince Diabolus.
Many also of the doubters were slain outright, though enough of them were
left alive to make Mansoul shake and totter. Now the victory that day
being turned to Mansoul, did put great valour into the townsmen and
captains, and did cover Diabolus’s camp with a cloud, but withal it made
them far more furious. So the next day Mansoul rested, and commanded
that the bells should be rung; the trumpets also joyfully sounded, and
the captains shouted round the town.
My Lord Willbewill also was not idle, but did notable service within
against the domestics, or the Diabolonians that were in the town, not
only by keeping them in awe, for he lighted on one at last whose name was
Mr. Anything, a fellow of whom mention was made before; for it was he, if
you remember, that brought the three fellows to Diabolus, whom the
Diabolonians took out of Captain Boanerges’s companies, and that
persuaded them to list themselves under the tyrant, to fight against the
army of Shaddai. My Lord Willbewill did also take a notable Diabolonian,
whose name was Loose-Foot: this Loose-Foot was a scout to the vagabonds
in Mansoul, and that did use to carry tidings out of Mansoul to the camp,
and out of the camp to those of the enemies in Mansoul. Both these my
lord sent away safe to Mr. True-Man, the gaoler, with a commandment to
keep them in irons; for he intended then to have them out to be
crucified, when it would be for the best to the corporation, and most for
the discouragement of the camp of the enemies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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