The Holy War – John Bunyan

When the captains heard this, they being always true lovers of the town
of Mansoul, what do they, but like so many Samsons, they shake themselves,
and come together to consult and contrive how to defeat those bold and
hellish contrivances that were upon the wheel, by the means of Diabolus and
his friends, against the now sickly, weakly, and much impoverished town of
Mansoul; and they agreed upon these following particulars--
1. That the gates of Mansoul should be kept shut, and made fast with
bars and locks; and that all persons that went out, or came in, should be very
strictly examined by the captains of the guards (1 Cor 16:13), to the end, said
they, that those that are managers of the plot amongst us may either, coming
or going, be taken; and that we may also find out who are the great contrivers
amongst us of our ruin (Lam 3:40).
2. The next thing was, that a strict search should be made for all kind of
Diabolonians throughout the whole town of Mansoul; and every man's house
from top to bottom, should be looked into, and that too, house by house, that
if possible a further discovery might be made of all such among them as had
a hand in these designs (Heb 12:15,16).
3. It was further concluded upon, that wheresoever or with whomsoever
any of the Diabolonians were found, that even those of the town of Mansoul
that had given them house and harbour, should to their shame, and the
warning of others, take penance in the open place (Jer 2:34, 5:26; Eze 16:52).
4. It was, moreover resolved by the famous town of Mansoul, that a
public fast, and a day of humiliation should be kept throughout the whole
corporation, to the justifying of their Prince, the abasing of themselves
before him for their transgressions against him, and against Shaddai his
Father (Joel 1:14, 2:15,16). It was further resolved, that all such in Mansoul
as did not on that day endeavour to keep that fast, and to humble themselves
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