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
_Know_. My lord, I and he were once in Villain’s Lane together, and he
at that time did briskly talk of divers opinions; and then and there I
heard him say, that, for his part, he did believe that there was no God.
‘But,’ said he, ‘I can profess one, and be as religious too, if the
company I am in, and the circumstances of other things,’ said he, ‘shall
put me upon it.’
_Clerk_. You are sure you heard him say thus?
_Know_. Upon mine oath, I heard him say thus.
Then said the Clerk, ‘Mr. Tell-True, what say you to the King’s judges
touching the prisoner at the bar?’
_Tell_. My lord, I formerly was a great companion of his, for the which
I now repent me, and I have often heard him say, and that with very great
stomachfulness, that he believed there was neither God, angel, nor
spirit.
_Clerk_. Where did you hear him say so?
_Tell_. In Blackmouth Lane and in Blasphemer’s Row, and in many other
places besides.
_Clerk_. Have you much knowledge of him?
_Tell_. I know him to be a Diabolonian, the son of a Diabolonian, and a
horrible man to deny a Deity. His father’s name was Never-be-good, and
he had more children than this Atheism. I have no more to say.
_Clerk_. Mr. Hate-Lies, look upon the prisoner at the bar; do you know
him?
_Hate_. My lord, this Atheism is one of the vilest wretches that ever I
came near, or had to do with in my life. I have heard him say that there
is no God; I have heard him say that there is no world to come, no sin,
nor punishment hereafter, and, moreover, I have heard him say that it was
as good to go to a whore-house as to go to hear a sermon.
_Clerk_. Where did you hear him say these things?
_Hate_. In Drunkard’s Row, just at Rascal-Lane’s End, at a house in
which Mr. Impiety lived.
_Clerk_. Set him by, gaoler, and set Mr. Lustings to the bar. Mr.
Lustings, thou art here indicted by the name of Lustings, (an intruder
upon the town of Mansoul,) for that thou hast devilishly and traitorously
taught, by practice and filthy words, that it is lawful and profitable to
man to give way to his carnal desires; and that thou, for thy part, hast
not, nor never wilt, deny thyself of any sinful delight as long as thy
name is Lustings. How sayest thou? Art thou guilty of this indictment,
or not?
Then said Mr. Lustings, ‘My lord, I am a man of high birth, and have been
used to pleasures and pastimes of greatness. I have not been wont to be
snubbed for my doings, but have been left to follow my will as if it were
law. And it seems strange to me that I should this day be called into
question for that, that not only I, but almost all men, do either
secretly or openly countenance, love, and approve of.’
_Clerk_. Sir, we concern not ourselves with your greatness; (though the
higher, the better you should have been;) but we are concerned, and so
are you now, about an indictment preferred against you. How say you?
Are you guilty of it, or not?
_Lust_. Not guilty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account