The Holy War – John Bunyan

lie there to keep that; wherefore it will be but in vain thus to attempt, unless
we were sure that they will all come out. He therefore concluded that what
was done, must be done by some other means. And the most likely means
that the greatest of their heads could invent, was that which Apollyon had
advised to before, to wit, to get the townsmen again to sin. For, said he, it is
not our being in the town, nor in the field, nor our fighting, nor our killing of
their men, that can make us the masters of Mansoul; for so long as one in the
town is able to lift up his finger against us, Emmanuel will take their parts;
and if he shall take their parts, we know what time a-day it will be with
us.[2] Wherefore, for my part, quoth he, there is, in my judgment, no way to
bring them into bondage to us, like inventing a way to make them sin (2
Peter 2:18-21). Had we, said he, left all our Doubters at home, we had done
as well as we have done now, unless we could have made them the masters
and governors of the castle; for Doubters at a distance, are but like objections
refelled with arguments. Indeed can we but get them into the hold, and make
them possessors of that, the day will be our own. Let us therefore withdraw
ourselves into the plain (not expecting that the captains in Mansoul should
follow us), but yet, I say, let us do this, and before we so do, let us advise
again with our trusty Diabolonians that are yet in their holds of Mansoul, and
set them to work to betray the town to us; for they indeed must do it, or it
will be left undone for ever. By these sayings of Beelzebub--for I think it
was he that gave this counsel--the whole conclave was forced to be of his
opinion, to wit, that the way to get the castle was to get the town to sin. Then
they fell to inventing by what means they might do this thing.[3]
Then Lucifer stood up, and said, The counsel of Beelzebub is pertinent;
now the way to bring this to pass, in mine opinion, is this: Let us withdraw
our force from the town of Mansoul, let us do this and let us terrify them no
more, either with summons or threats, or with the noise of our drum, or any
other awakening means. Only let us lie in the field at a distance, and be as if
we regarded them not; for frights I see do but awaken them, and make them
more stand to their arms. I have also another stratagem in my head: You
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