The Holy War – John Bunyan

ago, that they would come to destroy this town, and against whom I have
been at the cost to arm you with cap-a-pie[9] for your body, besides great
fortifications for your mind. Wherefore, then, did you not rather, even at the
first appearance of them, cry out, fire the beacons, and give the whole town
an alarm concerning them, that we might all have been in a posture of
defence, and been ready to have received them with the highest acts of
defiance, then had you showed yourselves men to my liking; whereas, by
what you have done, you have made me half-afraid; I say half-afraid, that
when they and we shall come to push a pike, I shall find you want courage to
stand it out any longer. Wherefore have I commanded a watch, and that you
should double your guards at the gates? Wherefore have I endeavoured to
make you as hard as iron, and your hearts as a piece of the nether millstone?
Was it, think you, that you might show yourselves women, and that you
might go out like a company of innocents to gaze on your mortal foes? Fie,
fie, put yourselves into a posture of defence, beat up the drum, gather
together in warlike manner, that our foes may know that, before they shall
conquer this corporation there are valiant men in the town of Mansoul.
'I will leave off now to chide,[10] and will not further rebuke you; but I
charge you that henceforwards you let me see no more such actions. Let not
henceforward a man of you, without order first obtained from me, so much
as show his head over the wall of the town of Mansoul. You have now heard
me, do as I have commanded, and you shall cause me that I dwell securely
with you, and that I take care as for myself, so for your safety and honour
also. Farewell.'
Now were the townsmen strangely altered; they were as men stricken
with a panic fear; they ran to and fro through the streets of the town of
Mansoul, crying out, 'Help, help! the men that turn the world upside down
are come hither also;' nor could any of them be quiet after, but still, as men
bereft of wit, they cried out, 'The destroyers of our peace and people are
come.' This went down with Diabolus. 'Aye!' quoth he to himself, 'this I like
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