Page:The Political History of the Devil - Defoe (1726).djvu/21

 in the world, and especially of dividing and subdividing opinions in religion; perhaps, to eke it out and make it reach the farther; and also to shew how far he is or has made himself a missionary of the famous clan de propaganda fide; it is true, we find him heartily employ'd in almost every corner of the world ad propagandum errorem: But that may require a history by it self.

As to his propagating religion, 'tis a little hard indeed, at first sight, to charge the Devil with propagating religion, that is to say, if we take it literally, and in the gross; but if you take it as the Scots insisted to take the oath of fidelity, viz. with an explanation, it is plain Satan has very often had a share in the method, if not in the design of propagating christian faith: For example.

I think I do no injury at all to the Devil, to say that he had a great hand in the old holy war, as it was ignorantly and enthusiastically call'd, and in stirring up the christian princes and powers of Europe to run a madding after the Turks and Saracens, and make war with those innocent people above a thousand miles off, only because they entred into God's heritage when he had forsaken it, graz'd upon his ground when he had fairly turn'd it into a common, and laid it open for the next comer; spending the nation's treasure, and embarking their kings and people, I say, in a war above a thousand mile off, filling their heads with that religious madness, call'd, in those days, holy zeal to recover the terra sancta, the sepulchers of Christ and the Saints, and as they call'd it falsly, the holy city, tho' true religion says it was the accursed city, and not worth spending one drop of blood for.

This religious Bubble was certainly of Satan, who, as he craftily drew them in, so like a true Devil he left them in the lurch when they came there, fac'd about to the Saracens, animated the