The Holy War – John Bunyan

Now a man might have walked for days together in Mansoul, and
scarcely have seen one in the town that looked like a religious man. Oh, the
fearful state of Mansoul now! Now every corner swarmed with out-landish
Doubters; redcoats and black-coats[9] walked the town by clusters, and filled
up all the houses with hideous noises, vain songs, lying stories, and
blasphemous language against Shaddai and his Son.[10] Now, also, those
Diabolonians that lurked in the walls and dens and holes that were in the
town of Mansoul, came forth and showed themselves, yea, walked with open
face in company with the Doubters that were in Mansoul. Yea, they had
more boldness now to walk the streets, to haunt the houses, and to show
themselves abroad, than had any of the honest inhabitants of the now woful
town of Mansoul.[11]
But Diabolus and his out-landish men were not at peace in Mansoul, for
they were not there entertained as were the captains and forces of Emmanuel;
the townsmen did browbeat them what they could; nor did they partake or
make story[12] of any of the necessaries of Mansoul, but that which they
seized on against the townsmen's will; what they could they hid from them,
and what they could not they had with an ill-will. They, poor hearts, had
rather have had their room than their company, but they were at present their
captives, and their captives for the present they were forced to be (Rom 7).
But, I say, they discountenanced them as much as they were able, and
showed them all the dislike that they could.[13]
The captains also from the castle did hold them in continual play with
their slings, to the chasing and fretting of the minds of the enemies. True,
Diabolus made a great many attempts to have broken open the gates of the
castle, but Mr. Godly-fear was made the keeper of that; and he was a man of
that courage, conduct, and valour, that it was in vain, as long as life lasted
within him, to think to do that work though mostly desired, wherefore all the
attempts that Diabolus made against him were fruitless. I have wished
sometimes that that man had had the whole rule of the town of Mansoul.[14]
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