Bunyan's Holy War (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapters 2 and 3.
Now that Diabolus has entered the town of Mansoul he sets about changing the place. Chapter 3 concludes with a good summary of his initial work: 'And now Diabolus thought himself safe. He had taken Mansoul, he had engarrisoned himself therein; he had put down the old officers, and had set up new ones; he had defaced the image of Shaddai, and had set up his own; he had spoiled the old law books, and had promoted his own vain lies; he had made him new magistrates, and set up new aldermen; he had builded him new holds, and had manned them for himself: and all this he did to make himself secure, in case the good Shaddai, or his Son, should come to make an incursion upon him.'
In Chapter 4 we see:
(i) the grief of King Shaddai and his court at the news;
(ii) the proclamation of Shaddai and his Son that they will fight for Mansoul;
(iii) Diabolus' reaction to this proclamation - he attempts to secure the town even further against attack.
Beautiful to hear the reaction of the King and his Son to the evil workings of Diabolus at Mansoul: 'The King said plainly that it grieved him at the heart, and you may be sure that his Son was not a whit behind him. Thus gave they conviction to all about them that they had love and compassion for the famous town of Mansoul. Well, when the King and his Son were retired into the privy chamber, there they again consulted about what they had designed before, to wit, that as Mansoul should in time be suffered to be lost, so as certainly it should be recovered again; recovered, I say, in such a way, as that both the King and his Son would get themselves eternal fame and glory thereby. Wherefore, after this consult, the Son of Shaddai (a sweet and comely Person, and one that had always great affection for those that were in affliction, but one that had mortal enmity in his heart against Diabolus, because he was designed for it, and because he sought his crown and dignity)--this Son of Shaddai, I say, having stricken hands with his Father and promised that he would be his servant to recover his Mansoul again, stood by his resolution, nor would he repent of the same. The purport of which agreement was this: to wit, that at a certain time, prefixed by both, the King's Son should take a journey into the country of Universe, and there, in a way of justice and equity, by making amends for the follies of Mansoul, he should lay a foundation of perfect deliverance from Diabolus and from his tyranny.'
The love of God for man, despite his rebellion, is truly magnificent!
Read Chapters 4 and 5.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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