he Flesh came out of their dens. They held a
meeting in the room of Mr. Mischief, and wrote to invite Diabolus to
return. Mr. Profane carried their letter to Hell Gate. Cerberus opened
it, and a cry of joy ran through the prison. Beelzebub, Lucifer,
Apollyon, and the rest of the devils came crowding to hear the news.
Deadman's bell was rung. Diabolus addressed the assembly, putting them
in hopes of recovering their prize. 'Nor need you fear, he said, that
if ever we get Mansoul again, we after that shall be cast out any
more. It is the law of that Prince that now they own, that if we get
them a second time they shall be ours for ever.' He returned a warm
answer to his friend, 'which was subscribed as given at the Pit's
mouth, by the joint consent of all the Princes of Darkness, by me,
Diabolus.' The plan was to corrupt Mansoul's morals, and three devils
of rank set off disguised to take service in the town, and make their
way into the households of Mr. Mind, Mr. Godly Fear, and Lord Will be
Will. Godly Fear discovered his mistake and turned the devil out. The
other two established themselves successfully, and Mr. Profane was
soon at Hell Gate again to report progress. Cerberus welcomed him with
a 'St. Mary, I am glad to see thee.' Another council was held in
Pandemonium, and Diabolus was impatient to show himself again on the
scene. Apollyon advised him not to be in a hurry. 'Let our friends,'
he said, 'draw Mansoul more and more into sin--there is nothing like
sin to devour Mansoul;' but Diabolus would not wait for so slow a
process, and raised an army of Doubters 'from the land of Doubting on
the confines of Hell Gate Hill.' 'Doubt,' Bunyan always admitted, had
been his own most dangerous enemy.

[Footnote 9: The Flesh.]

Happily the townspeople became aware of the peril which threatened
them. Mr. Prywell, a great lover of Mansoul, overheard some
Diabolonians talking about it at a place called Vile Hill. He carried
his information to the Lord Mayor; the Recorder rang the Alarm Bell;
Mansoul flew to penitence, held a day of fasting and humiliation, and
prayed to Shaddai. The Diabolonians were hunted out, and all that
could be found were killed. So far as haste and alarm would permit,
Mansoul mended its ways. But on came the Doubting army, led by
Incredulity, who had escaped crucifixion--'none was truer to Diabolus
than he'--on they came under their several captains, Vocation
Doubters, Grace Doubters, Salvation Doubte