The Holy War: The Battle for Mansoul (John Bunyan)

The Holy War

The Battle for Mansoul

Decidedly, a book with one of the most active plots ever written, a masterpiece of imagery and word-pictures from the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan himself considered this his superior book! This edition contains additional features to help today’s reader understand the story, with background to the character and places Bunyan describes. Language has not been altered at all, but words that are especially archaic are explained in a glossary at the end of the book!

The most beautiful edition of Bunyan’s The Holy War we have ever seen! A large hardcover edition, filled with delightful old pen and ink sketches and drawings.

The story line:

Righteous and honorable King Shaddai and His Son Immanuel are the kind rulers the city of Mansoul, always directing the lives of the city with justice and equity. But the ruler of darkness – Prince Diabolus – has his own plans for the city. With the assistance of his evil captains, he plots the destruction of the once happy town.

The first to fall to his deceptions is Captain Resistance, so that Mansoul is now open to Diabolus’ wicked lies about their king. Diabolus knows that he may only possess Mansoul if the people open the gates to him by their own choice; and soon, sadly, through the vantage point of Eargate, the inhabitants believe his lies and the city falls. So begins this story of treachery and deceit, foolishness and pride, but forgiveness and final redemption. The fact is, as Bunyan intended it, this is the story of a sinner saved by the grace of God.

About John Bunyan

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was born at Elstow, England, about a mile from Bedford, and became one of the most influential authors of the seventeenth century. Few writers in history have left such a wealth of Christ-centered writings.

Bunyan’s moving conversion is recorded in his Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. While walking the streets of Bedford, Bunyan heard “three or four poor women” sitting at a door, “talking about the new birth, the work of God in their hearts, and the way by which they were convinced of their miserable state by nature. They told how God had visited their souls with His love in Christ Jesus, and with what words and promises they had been refreshed, comforted, and supported against the temptations of the devil.” From these godly women Bunyan learned to despise sin and to hunger for the Savior. Later, while passing into the fields, he recounts, “This sentence fell upon my soul, ‘Thy righteousness is in heaven’…for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Then “his chains fell off,” and he went home rejoicing.

Call to Preach and Arrest

In 1655, Bunyan was called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was arrested November 12, 1660, for preaching without the approval of the Anglican Church. He was charged with “teaching men to worship God contrary to the law” and spent twelve years in prison.

His most well-known work, The Pilgrim’s Progress, was written while in Bedford jail. During Bunyan’s lifetime there were 100,000 copies circulated in the British isles, besides several editions in North America. It has been continuously in print since its first printing. Bunyan’s remarkable imagery was firmly rooted in the biblical doctrines of man’s fall, grace, imputation, justification, and the atonement.