The Relation of the Holy War
Chapter I
[CONTENTS:—The original beauty and splendour of the town of Mansoul, while under the dominion of Shaddai—Its noble castle described—Its five gates—The perfection of its inhabitants—The origin of Diabolus—His pride and fall— Revenge meditated—A council of war held to deliberate on the best means of seducing the town of Mansoul—Diabolus marches to the town, and sits down before Eye-gate—His oration— Captain Resistance slain—My Lord Innocence killed—The town taken.]In my travels, as I walked through many regions and countries, it was my chance to happen into that famous continent of Universe; a very large and spacious country it is. It lieth between the two poles, and just amidst the four points of the heavens. It is a place well-watered, and richly adorned with hills and valleys, bravely situate; and for the most part (at least where I was) very fruitful, also well peopled, and a very sweet air.
The people are not all of one complexion, nor yet of one language, mode, or way of religion; but differ as much as, it is said, do the planets themselves. Some are right, and some are wrong, even as it happeneth to be in lesser regions.
In this country, as I said, it was my lot to travel, and there travel I did; and that so long, even till I learned much of their mother-tongue, together with the customs and manners of them among whom I was. And to speak truth, I was much delighted to see and hear many things which I saw and heard among them. Yea, I had (to be sure) even lived and died a native among them, so was I taken with them and their doings, had not my Master sent for me home to his house, there to do business for him, and to over-see business done.[15]
Now there is in this gallant country of Universe a fair and delicate town, a corporation called Mansoul. A town for its building so curious, for its situation so commodious, for its privileges so advantageous—I mean with reference to its original—that I may say of it, as was said before of the continent in which it is placed, There is not its equal under the whole heaven.[16]
As to the situation of this town, it lieth just between the two worlds; and the first founder and builder of it, so far as by the best and most authentic records I can gather, was one Shaddai; and he built it for his own delight.[17] He made it the mirror and glory of all that he made, even the top-piece, beyond anything else that he did in that country (Gen 1:26). Yea, so goodly a town was Mansoul when first built, that it is said by some, the gods, at the setting up thereof, came down to see it, and sang for joy. And as he made it goodly to behold, so also mighty to have dominion over all the country round about. Yea, all were commanded to acknowledge Mansoul for their metropolitan, all was enjoined to do homage to it. Aye, the town itself had positive commission and power from her King to demand service of all, and also to subdue any that anyways denied to do it.
There was reared up in the midst of this town a most famous and stately palace. For strength, it might be called a castle; for pleasantness, a paradise; for largeness, a place so copious as to contain all the world (Eccl 3:11). This place the King Shaddai intended but for himself alone, and not another with him;[18] partly because of his own delights, and partly because he would not that the terror of strangers should be upon the town. This place Shaddai made also a garrison of, but committed the keeping of it only to the men of the town.
The wall of the town was well built, yea, so fast and firm was it knit and compact together, that, had it not been for the townsmen themselves, they could not have been shaken or broken for ever.
For here lay the excellent wisdom of him that built Mansoul, that the walls could never be broken down, nor hurt, by the most mighty adverse potentate, unless the townsmen gave consent thereto.
This famous town of Mansoul had five gates, in at which to come, out at which to go, and these were made likewise answerable to the walls, to wit, impregnable, and such as could never be opened nor forced but by the will and leave of those within. The names of the gates were these, Ear- gate, Eye-gate, Mouth-gate, Nose-gate, and Feel-gate.[19]
Other things there were that belonged to the town of Mansoul, which, if you adjoin to these, will yet give farther demonstration to all of the glory and strength of the place. It had always a sufficiency of provision within its walls; it had the best, most wholesome, and excellent law that then was extant in the world. There was not a rascal, rogue, or traitorous person then within its walls. They were all true men, and fast joined together; and this, you know, is a great matter. And to all these, it had always—so long as it had the goodness to keep true to Shaddai the king—his countenance, his protection, and it was his delight, etc.
Well, upon a time, there was one Diabolus,[20] a mighty giant, made an assault upon this famous town of Mansoul, to take it, and make it his own habitation. This giant was king of the blacks or negroes,[21] and a most raving prince he was. We will, if you please, first discourse of the original of this Diabolus, and then of his taking of this famous town of Mansoul.
This Diabolus is indeed a great and mighty prince, and yet both poor and beggarly. As to his original, he was at first one of the servants of King Shaddai, made, and taken, and put by him into most high and mighty place; yea, was put into such principalities as belonged to the best of his territories and dominions. This Diabolus was made son of the morning, and a brave place he had of it (Isa 14:12). It brought him much glory, and gave him much brightness, an income that might have contented his Luciferian heart, had it not been insatiable, and enlarged as hell itself.
Well, he seeing himself thus exalted to greatness and honour, and raging in his mind for higher state and degree, what doth he but begins to think with himself how he might be set up as Lord over all, and have the sole power under Shaddai! Now that did the King reserve for his Son, yea, and had already bestowed it upon him. Wherefore he first consults with himself what had best to be done, and then breaks his mind to some other of his companions, to the which they also agreed. So, in fine, they came to this issue, that they should make an attempt upon the King's Son to destroy him, that the inheritance might be theirs. Well, to be short, the treason, as I said, was concluded, the time appointed, the word given, the rebels rendezvoused, and the assault attempted.[22] Now the King and his Son being ALL and always EYE, could not but discern all passages in his dominions; and he having always love for his Son as for himself, could not, at what he saw, but be greatly provoked and offended; wherefore, what does he, but takes them in the very nick; and, first trip that they made towards their design, convicts them of the treason, horrid rebellion, and conspiracy that they had devised, and now attempted to put into practice; and casts them altogether out of all place of trust, benefit, honour, and preferment. This done, he banishes them the court; turns them down into the horrible pits, as fast bound in chains, never more to expect the least favour from his hands, but to abide the judgment that he had appointed, and that for ever (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6).
And yet, now, they being thus cast out of all place of trust, profit, and honour, and also knowing that they had lost their prince's favour for ever, being banished his courts, and cast down to the horrible pits, you may be sure they would now add to their former pride what malice and rage against Shaddai, and against his Son, they could. Wherefore, roving and ranging in much fury from place to place, if perhaps they might find something that was the King's, to revenge (by spoiling of that themselves) on him (1 Peter 5:8); at last they happened into this spacious country of Universe, and steer their course towards the town of Mansoul; and considering that that town was one of the chief works and delights of King Shaddai, what do they but, after counsel taken, make an assault upon that! I say they knew that Mansoul belonged unto Shaddai; for they were there when he built it, and beautified it for himself.[23] So when they had found the place, they shouted horribly for joy, and roared on it as a lion upon the prey, saying, Now we have found the prize, and how to be revenged on King Shaddai for what he hath done to us. So they sat down, and called a council of war, and considered with themselves what ways and methods they had best to engage in, for the winning to themselves this famous town of Mansoul; and these four things were then propounded to be considered of. First. Whether they had best all of them, to show themselves in this design to the town of Mansoul. Second. Whether they had best to go and sit down against Mansoul, in their now ragged and beggarly guise. Third. Whether they had best to show to Mansoul their intentions, and what design they came about, or whether to assault it with words and ways of deceit. Fourth. Whether they had not best, to some of their companions, to give out private orders to take the advantage, if they see one or more of the principal townsmen, to shoot them; if thereby they shall judge their cause and design will the better be promoted.
First. It was answered to the first of these proposals in the negative, to wit, that it would not be best that all should show themselves before the town, because the appearance of many of them might alarm and fright the town; whereas a few, or but one of them, was not so likely to do it. And to enforce this advice to take place, it was added further, that if Mansoul was frighted, or did take the alarm, it is impossible, said Diabolus—for he spake now—that we should take the town; for that none can enter into it without its own consent.[24] Let therefore but few or but one assault Mansoul, and in mine opinion, said Diabolus, let me be he. Wherefore to this they all agreed, and then to the second proposal they came, namely,
Second. Whether they had best go and sit down before Mansoul in their now ragged and beggarly guise. To which it was answered also in the negative, By no means; and that because though the town of Mansoul had been made to know and to have to do, before now, with things that are invisible, they did never as yet see any of their fellow-creatures in so sad and rascal condition as they. And this was the advice of that fierce Alecto.[25] Then said Apollyon, the advice is pertinent, for even one of us appearing to them as we are now, must needs both beget and multiply such thoughts in them as will both put them into a consternation of spirit, and necessitate them to put themselves upon their guard. And if so, said he, then, as my Lord Alecto said but now, it is in vain for us to think of taking the town. Then said that mighty giant Beelzebub, the advice that already is given is safe; for though the men of Mansoul have seen such things as we once were, yet hitherto they did never behold such things as we now are. And it is best, in mine opinion, to come upon them in such a guise as is common to, and most familiar among them.[26] To this, when they had consented, the next thing to be considered was, in what shape, hue, or guise, Diabolus had best to show himself, when he went about to make Mansoul his own. Then one said one thing, and another the contrary; at last Lucifer answered, that in his opinion it was best that his lordship should assume the body of some of those creatures that they of the town had dominion over. For, quoth he, these are not only familiar to them, but being under them, they will never imagine that an attempt should by them be made upon the town; and, to blind all, let him assume the body of one of these beasts that Mansoul deems to be wiser than any of the rest (Gen 3:1; Rev 20:1,2). This advice was applauded of all; so it was determined that the giant Diabolus should assume the dragon, for that he was in those days as familiar with the town of Mansoul as now is the bird with the boy. For nothing that was in its primitive state was at all amazing to them.[27] Then they proceeded to the third thing, which was,
Third. Whether they had best to show their intentions or the design of his coming to Mansoul, or no. This also was answered in the negative, because of the weight that was in the former reasons, to wit, for that Mansoul were a strong people, a strong people in a strong town, whose wall and gates were impregnable, to say nothing of their castle, nor can they by any means be won but by their own consent. Besides, said Legion,[28] (for he gave answer to this), a discovery of our intentions may make them send to their King for aid, and if that be done, I know quickly what time of day it will be with us. Therefore let us assault them in all pretended fairness, covering of our intentions with all manner of lies, flatteries, delusive words; feigning of things that never will be, and promising of that to them that they shall never find. This is the way to win Mansoul, and to make them, of themselves, to open their gates to us; yea, and to desire us too, to come in to them.
And the reason why I think that this project will do is, because the people of Mansoul now are every one simple and innocent; all honest and true; nor do they as yet know what it is to be assaulted with fraud, guile, and hypocrisy. They are strangers to lying and dissembling lips; wherefore we cannot, if thus we be disguised, by them at all be discerned; our lies shall go for true sayings, and our dissimulations for upright dealings. What we promise them, they will in that believe us, especially if in all our lies and feigned words we pretend great love to them, and that our design is only their advantage and honour. Now there was not one bit of a reply against this; this went as current down as doth the water down a steep descent; wherefore they go to consider of the last proposal, which was, Fourth. Whether they had not best to give out orders to some of their company, to shoot some one or more of the principal of the townsmen, if they judge that their cause may be promoted thereby.
This was carried in the affirmative, and the man that was
designed by this stratagem to be destroyed was one Mr.
Resistance, otherwise called Captain Resistance. And a great
man in Mansoul this Captain Resistance was; and a man that
the giant Diabolus and his band more feared than they feared
the whole town of Mansoul besides.[29] who should be the
actor to do the murder, that was the next, and they
appointed one Tisiphone, a fury of the lake, to do it.
They thus having ended their council of war, rose up, and
essayed to do as they had determined. They marched towards
Mansoul, but all in a manner invisible, save one, only one;
nor did he approach the town in his own likeness, but under
the shape and in the body of the dragon.[30]
So they drew up, and sat down before Ear-gate, for that was
the place of hearing for all without the town, as Eye-gate
was the place of perspection. So, as I said, he came up with
his train to the gate, and laid his ambuscado for Captain
Resistance within bow-shot of the town. This done, the giant
ascended up close to the gate, and called to the town of
Mansoul for audience. Nor took he any with him, but one All-
pause,[31] who was his orator in all difficult matters. Now,
as I said, he being come up to the gate, as the manner of
those times was, sounded his trumpet for audience. At which
the chief of the town of Mansoul, such as my Lord Innocent,
my Lord Will-be-will,[32] my Lord Mayor, Mr. Recorder,[33]
and Captain Resistance came down to the wall to see who was
there, and what was the matter. And my Lord Will-be-will,
when he had looked over and saw who stood at the gate,
demanded what he was, wherefore he was come, and why he
roused the town of Mansoul with so unusual a sound.
Diab. Diabolus then, as if he had been a lamb, began his
oration, and said; Gentlemen of the famous town of Mansoul,
I am, as you may perceive, no far dweller from you, but
near, and one that is bound by the King to do you my homage,
and what service I can; wherefore, that I may be faithful to
myself, and to you, I have somewhat of concern to impart
unto you. Wherefore grant me your audience, and hear me
patiently. And, first, I will assure you, it is not myself,
but you; not mine, but your advantage that I seek, by what
I now do, as will full well be made manifest by that I have
opened my mind unto you. For, gentlemen, I am, to tell you
the truth, come to show you how you may obtain great and
ample deliverance from a bondage that, unawares to
yourselves, you are captivated and enslaved under. At this
the town of Mansoul began to prick up its ears, and what is
it, pray, what is it, thought they; and he said, I have
somewhat to say to you concerning your King, concerning his
law, and also touching yourselves. Touching your King, I
know he is great and potent, but yet all that he hath said
to you is neither true, nor yet for your advantage. 1. It is
not true, for that wherewith he hath hitherto awed you shall
not come to pass, nor be fulfilled, though you do the thing
that he hath forbidden. But if there was danger, what a
slavery is it to live always in fear of the greatest of
punishments, for doing so small and trivial a thing as
eating of a little fruit is? 2. Touching his laws, this I
say further, they are both unreasonable, intricate, and
intolerable. Unreasonable, as was hinted before, for that
the punishment is not proportioned to the offence. There is
great difference and disproportion betwixt the life and an
apple; yet the one must go for the other, by the law of your
Shaddai. But it is also intricate, in that he saith, first,
you may eat of all; and yet after, forbids the eating of
one. And then, in the last place, it must needs be
intolerable, forasmuch as that fruit which you are forbidden
to eat of, if you are forbidden any, is that, and that
alone, which is able, by your eating, to minister to you a
good as yet unknown by you. This is manifest by the very
name of the tree; it is called the tree of knowledge of good
and evil; and have you that knowledge as yet? No, no, nor
can you conceive how good, how pleasant, and how much to be
desired to make one wise it is, so long as you stand by your
King's commandment. Why should you be holden in ignorance
and blindness? Why should you not be enlarged in knowledge
and understanding? And now, ah! ye inhabitants of the famous
town of Mansoul, to speak more particularly to yourselves,
you are not a free people! You are kept both in bondage and
slavery, and that by a grievous threat; no reason being
annexed but, so I will have it, so it shall be. And is it
not grievous to think on, that that very thing that you are
forbidden to do, might you but do it, would yield you both
wisdom and honour; for then your eyes will be opened, and
you shall be as gods. Now, since this is thus, quoth he, can
you be kept by any prince in more slavery, and in greater
bondage, than you are under this day? You are made
underlings, and are wrapped up in inconveniences, as I have
well made appear. For what bondage greater than to be kept
in blindness? Will not reason tell you that it is better to
have eyes than to be without them; and so to be at liberty,
to be better than to be shut up in a dark and stinking cave.
And just now, while Diabolus was speaking these words to
Mansoul, Tisiphone shot at Captain Resistance, where he
stood on the gate, and mortally wounded him in the head; so
that he, to the amazement of the townsmen, and the
encouragement of Diabolus, fell down dead quite over the
wall.[34] Now, when Captain Resistance was dead, and he was
the only man of war in the town, poor Mansoul was wholly
left naked of courage, nor had she now any heart to resist.
But this was as the devil would have it.[35] Then stood
forth that He,[36] Mr. Ill-pause, that Diabolus brought with
him, who was his orator,[37] and he addressed himself to
speak to the town of Mansoul: the tenour of whose speech
here follows.
ILL-PAUSE. Gentlemen, quoth he, it is my master's happiness
that he has this day a quiet and teachable auditory,[38] and
it is hoped by us that we shall prevail with you not to cast
off good advice; my master has a very great love for you,
and although, as he very well knows, that he runs the hazard
of the anger of King Shaddai, yet love to you will make him
do more than that.[39] Nor doth there need that a word more
should be spoken to confirm for truth what he hath said;
there is not a word but carries with it self-evidence in its
bowels; the very name of the tree may put an end to all
controversy in this matter. I therefore at this time shall
only add this advice to you, under, and by the leave of my
Lord [and with that he made Diabolus a very low conge].
Consider his words, look on the tree, and the promising
fruit thereof; remember also that yet you know but little,
and that this is the way to know more; and if your reasons
be not conquered to accept of such good counsel, you are not
the men that I took you to be. But when the towns-folk saw
that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to
the eye, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, they did
as old Ill-pause advised, they took and did eat thereof. Now
this I should have told you before, that even then, when
this Ill-pause was making of his speech to the townsmen, my
Lord Innocency—whether by a shot from the camp of the giant,
or from some sinking qualm that suddenly took him, or
whether by the stinking breath of that treacherous villain
old Ill-pause, for so I am most apt to think—sunk down in
the place where he stood, nor could he be brought to life
again.[40] Thus these two brave men died; brave men I call
them, for they were the beauty and glory of Mansoul, so long
as they lived therein; nor did there now remain any more a
noble spirit in Mansoul, they all fell down, and yielded
obedience to Diabolus, and became his slaves and vassals, as
you shall hear.[41]
Now these being dead, what do the rest of the towns-folk,
but as men that had found a fool's paradise, they presently,
as afore was hinted, fall to prove the truth of the giant's
words; and first they did as Ill-pause had taught them, they
looked, they considered, they were taken with the forbidden
fruit, they took thereof, and did eat; and having eaten,
they became immediately drunken therewith; so they opened
the gate, both Ear-gate and Eye-gate, and let in Diabolus
with all his bands, quite forgetting their good Shaddai, his
law, and the judgment that he had annexed with solemn
threatening to the breach thereof.[42]
[ Content ]
16. Mansoul, or, as the margin reads, man, so fearfully and
wonderfully made, was glorious in his original sinless
state, but will be infinitely more glorious if saved to
eternal bliss, by union with Christ.—Ed. Back
17. The name Shaddai, one of the names of God, means 'the
pourer forth,' the source of existence, the all-bountiful,
the all-mighty, in whom we live, and move, and have our
being. If he withhold his blessings, the universe must
perish. 'Lord, what is man, that thou shouldst be mindful of
him?'—Ed. Back
18. Professor, if thy heart be idolatrous, or devoted to the
world and thy lusts, thy religion is vain, thou deceivest
thine own soul. God says to all, 'My son, give me thine
heart' (Prov 23:26).— Mason. Back
19. The five senses are the gates to Mansoul. While they
were guarded, no enemy could injure the town; now they
require a double watch.— Ed. Back
20. 'Diabolus' is frequently used in the New Testament. It
is translated 'a slanderer,' 'an accuser,' and 'adversary';
and, in Matthew 4:1; Revelation 12:9, 20:2, 'The prince of
devils.' It is the same as 'Satan' in Hebrew.— Ed. Back
21. It must not be supposed that this is a reflection upon
the unhappy sons of Africa who had been sold into slavery.
The margin is the key to the meaning of the words; 'blacks
or negroes' mean 'sinners, the fallen angels.' Negro slaves
were believed to be convicted criminals sold to the whites
for transportation. English convicts were, at that time,
sold as slaves to the planters in the West Indies. A man,
for merely being a Quaker, was thus sold as a slave in New
England. The horrors that were disclosed in this diabolical
traffic stamps a demon character upon every slave-dealer or
holder. The principal of these are negroes, who steal their
fellows; and, like black devils, sell them to the white
devils, who hold these poor creatures in slavery.— Ed. Back
22. 'And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought, and his
angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any
more in heaven' (Rev 12:7,8). Back
23. Mr. Burder supposes that the fall of the angels took
place after the creation of man, because Job says that at
the laying the foundation of the world, 'The morning stars
sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy' (38:7).
But angels in a fallen state had forfeited their high and
exalted titles and glory.— Ed. Back
24. This agrees with Milton as to the perfect freedom of the
will before the fall:—
'God made thee perfect, not immutable;
25. It is evident that Bunyan thought that a fury, whose
every hair was a living snake, ought rather to be a male
than a female, as generally pictured; but, query, was it in
the original manuscript Diabolus, mistaken by the printer
for Alecto. He had given this advice. Some editors have
altered the name; but as it is Alecto in all Bunyan's own
editions, it is here continued.— Ed. Back
26. If devils cordially unite in the work of destruction,
how ought Christians to unite in their efforts to promote
the kingdom of Christ. We should be 'wise as serpents,'
while 'harmless as doves.'—Ed. Back
27. In this infernal conference the names are well chosen.
Apollyon signified the Destroyer; Beelzebub, the Prince of
Devils; Lucifer, the Morning Star, a fallen angel, the arch-
devil; Alecto, a heathen name of one of the furies, whose
head was covered with snakes, and who was full of vengeance;
Tisiphone, another of the furies.— Burder. Back
28. 'Legion'; a military term. Among the Romans, five
thousand men. An indefinite number (Mark 5:9).— Mason. Back
29. Resistance to the first sin is of the utmost
importance:—
'Sin will at first, just like a beggar crave
30. 'The dragon'; a scriptural name of the devil; see
Revelation 12, 13.— Ed. Back
31. In the early editions this dangerous enemy is called
All-pause when first introduced, but always afterwards Ill-
pause.— Ed. Back
32. The will by which we determine for or against an action. Back
33. The Recorder is conscience, by which we judge of an
action as good or bad, according to the light we enjoy,
whether by the law of nature or by the written law.
Conscience records our actions; and, in the day of judgment,
the book of conscience is one of those which shall be
opened.— Burder. Back
34. Satan may tempt, but cannot force the soul to sin (James
1:14); we are therefore commanded to resist the devil, that
he may flee from us. To destroy this resistance, therefore,
must be a great point with the enemy.— Burder. Back
35. The artful speech of Diabolus is founded upon the
scriptural account of the first temptation. 'Ye shall not
surely die,' said the father of lies, and he still persists
in it. God says, Sinner, thou shalt die; Satan says, Thou
shalt not die. Which of these ought we to believe?— Burder. Back
36. 'That HE.' According to Tyrwhitt, p. 113, HE was
prefixed to proper names by the Saxons emphatically.
Shakespeare thus uses it: 'I stand to answer thee, or any he
the proudest of thy sort.' Bunyan uses it as a mark of
contempt. A modern author would say, 'That fellow, Mr. Ill-
pause.'—Ed. Back
37. Resistance failed in our first mother. She paused, and
it was an Ill-pause; whatever contradicts God's Word should
be instantly resisted as diabolical.— Burder. Back
38. The most imminent danger to the soul is when Satan finds
a death-like, quiet, teachable auditory. So it was when
Whitfield and Wesley, on their godlike mission, roused the
people; who, to a frightful extent, were slumbering on the
brink of eternal torments.— Ed. Back
39. Beware of flattery and hypocrisy, especially of that
cunning craftiness of false teachers whereby they lie in
wait to deceive unwary souls, and keep them in darkness. The
white devil that elates the sinner with vain confidence, is
much more dangerous than the black one who instigates to
lust, profaneness, and despair.— Mason. Back
40. The breath of temptations, entertained for a moment,
admits unbelief, and destroys primitive innocence. In a
spiritual sense, man died; and, by the offence of one,
judgment came upon all to condemnation (Rev 5:18).— Burder. Back
41. Then peace expired,
And every grace fell slaughter'd round her tomb.— Swain's
Redemption. Back
42. Her rash hand, in evil hour,
Forth reaching to the fruit, she pluck'd, she ate:
Earth felt the wound, and nature, from her seat,
Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe,
That all was lost.— Paradise Lost, B. ix. Back
[ Content ]
And good he made thee; but to persevere
He left it in thy power; ordained thy will
By nature free.'—Paradise Lost, B. v. Back
One penny or one halfpenny to have;
And, if you grant its first suit, 't will aspire
From pence to pounds, and so will still mount higher
To the whole soul.'—Bunyan's Caution. Back
[ Chapter II ]