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
And with that the Lord Willbewill stood up, and said, ‘Diabolus, thou
master of the den, and enemy to all that is good, we poor inhabitants of
the town of Mansoul are too well acquainted with thy rule and government,
and with the end of those things that for certain will follow submitting
to thee, to do it. Wherefore though while we were without knowledge we
suffered thee to take us, (as the bird that saw not the snare fell into
the hands of the fowler,) yet since we have been turned from darkness to
light, we have also been turned from the power of Satan to God. And
though through thy subtlety, and also the subtlety of the Diabolonians
within, we have sustained much loss, and also plunged ourselves into much
perplexity, yet give up ourselves, lay down our arms, and yield to so
horrid a tyrant as thou, we shall not; die upon the place we choose
rather to do. Besides, we have hopes that in time deliverance will come
from court unto us, and therefore we yet will maintain a war against
thee.’
This brave speech of the Lord Willbewill, with that also of the Lord
Mayor, did somewhat abate the boldness of Diabolus, though it kindled the
fury of his rage. It also succoured the townsmen and captains; yea, it
was as a plaster to the brave Captain Credence’s wound; for you must know
that a brave speech now (when the captains of the town with their men of
war came home routed, and when the enemy took courage and boldness at the
success that he had obtained to draw up to the walls, and demand
entrance, as he did) was in season, and also advantageous.
The Lord Willbewill also did play the man within; for while the captains
and soldiers were in the field, he was in arms in the town, and wherever
by him there was a Diabolonian found, they were forced to feel the weight
of his heavy hand, and also the edge of his penetrating sword: many
therefore of the Diabolonians he wounded, as the Lord Cavil, the Lord
Brisk, the Lord Pragmatic, and the Lord Murmur; several also of the
meaner sort he did sorely maim; though there cannot at this time an
account be given you of any that he slew outright. The cause, or rather
the advantage that my Lord Willbewill had at this time to do thus, was
for that the captains were gone out to fight the enemy in the field.
‘For now,’ thought the Diabolonians within, ‘is our time to stir and make
an uproar in the town.’ What do they therefore but quickly get
themselves into a body, and fall forthwith to hurricaning in Mansoul, as
if now nothing but whirlwind and tempest should be there. Wherefore, as
I said, he takes this opportunity to fall in among them with his men,
cutting and slashing with courage that was undaunted; at which the
Diabolonians with all haste dispersed themselves to their holds, and my
lord to his place as before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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