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The Holy War – John Bunyan

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(Jer 5:16, 2:25).[11]<br />

9. <strong>The</strong> ninth captain was Captain Past-hope, he was captain of those that<br />

are called the Felicity-doubters; his ancient-bearer was Mr. Despair; his also<br />

were the red colours, and his escutcheon was the hot iron and the hard heart<br />

(1 Tim 4:2; Rom 2:5).<br />

<strong>The</strong>se were his captains, and these were their forces, these were their<br />

ancients, these were their colours, and these were their escutcheons, now,<br />

over these did the great Diabolus make superior captains, and they were in<br />

number seven, as, namely, the Lord Beelzebub, the Lord Lucifer, the Lord<br />

Legion, the Lord Apollyon, the Lord Python, the Lord Cerberus, and the<br />

Lord Belial; these seven he set over the captains, and Incredulity was Lordgeneral,<br />

and Diabolus was king.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Reformades also, such as were like themselves, were made some of<br />

them captains of hundreds, and some of them captains of more, and thus was<br />

the army of Incredulity completed.<br />

So they set out at Hell-gate-hill, for there they had their rendezvous,<br />

from whence they came with a straight course upon their march toward the<br />

town of Mansoul. Now, as was hinted before, the town had, as Shaddai<br />

would have it, received from the mouth of Mr. Prywell the alarm of their<br />

coming before. Wherefore they set a strong watch at the gates, and had also<br />

doubled their guards, they also mounted their slings in good places, where<br />

they might conveniently cast out their great stones, to the annoyance of their<br />

furious enemy.<br />

Nor could those Diabolonians that were in the town do that hurt as was<br />

designed they should, for Mansoul was now awake. But, alas! poor people,<br />

they were sorely affrighted at the first appearance of their foes, and at their<br />

sitting down before the town, especially when they heard the roaring of their<br />

252

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