The light which broke out at the reformation, abhorred the bloody zeal of these Catholic heroes. But what followed from this new risen, reforming light, what came forth instead of these _holy crusades_? Why wars, if possible, still more diabolical. Christian kingdoms with blood-thirsty piety, destroying, devouring and burning one another, for the sake of that which was called Popery, and that which was called Protestantism.
Now who can help seeing, that Satan, had here a much greater triumph over Christendom, than in all the holy wars that went before? For all that was then done, by such high-spirited fighters for old _Jerusalem_’s earth, could not be said to be done against _gospel-light_, because not one in a thousand of these holy warriors was allowed to see what was in the gospel. But now, with the gospel open in every one’s hands, Papists and Protestants make open war against every _divine virtue_, which can unite them with the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world; I say, against every divine virtue of the Lamb of God, for these are _the enemies_ which Christian war conquers. For there is not a virtue of gospel-goodness, but has its death-blow from it. Now fancy to yourself, Christ, after his divine sermon on the mount, putting himself at the head of a blood-thirsty army, or St. _Paul_ going forth with a squadron of fire and brimstone, to make more havock in human lives, than a devouring earthquake.
But if this be too blasphemous an absurdity to be supposed, what follows, but that the Christian who acts in the fury of war, acts in full contrariety to the whole nature of Christ, and can no more be said to be led by his Spirit, than those his enemies, who _came forth with swords and staves to take him_.
When a _Most Christian Majesty_ with his Catholic church, sings a _Te Deum_ at the high altar, for rivers of Protestant blood poured out; or an evangelic church sings praise to the holy Lamb of God, for helping them from his holy throne in heaven, to make Popish towns like to Sodom and Gomorrah, they blaspheme God, as much as _Cain_ would have done, had he offered a sacrifice of praise to God, for helping him to murder his brother. Let such worshippers of God be told, that the field of blood gives all its glory to Satan, who was a murderer from the beginning, and will to the end of his reign, be the only receiver of all the glory, that can come from it.
A glorious _Alexander_ in the Heathen world, is a shame and reproach to human nature, and does more mischief to mankind in a few years, than all wild beasts have done from the beginning of the world. But the same hero making the same ravage from country to country with Christian soldiers, has more thanks from the devil, than twenty Pagan _Alexanders_. To make men kill men, is meat and drink to their roaring adversary, who goeth about seeking whom he may devour. But to make Christians kill Christians for the sake of Christ’s church, is his highest triumph over the highest mark, which Christ hath set upon those whom he has purchased by his blood. _This commandment_, saith he, _I give unto you, that ye love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another as I have loved you._
Can the _duellist_, who had rather sheath his sword in the bowels of his brother, than stifle that which he calls an affront, can he be said to have this mark of his belonging to Christ? Now, what is the difference between the haughty duellist meeting his adversary with sword and pistol behind a hedge, and two kingdoms with their high-spirited regiments slaughtering one another in the field of battle? It is the difference that is between the murder of one man, and the murder of an hundred thousand.
Now imagine the duellist _fasting_ and _confessing_ his sins to God to-day, because he is engaged to fight his brother to-morrow; fancy again the conqueror got into his closet, on his bended knees, lifting up hands and heart to God, for blessing his weapons with the death of his brother; and then you have a pictured in _little_ of great piety, that begins and ends the wars all over heavenly Christendom!
What blindness can be greater, than to think that a Christian kingdom, can have any other goodness, or union with Christ, but that very goodness, which makes the private Christian to be one with him, and a partaker of the divine nature? Or that pride, wrath, ambition, envy, covetousness, rapine, revenge, hatred, and murder, are only the _works of the devil_, whilst they are committed by private, or single men; but when carried on by all the strength and authority, all the hearts, hands, and voices of a whole nation, that the devil is then quite driven out of them, loses all his right and power in them, and they become holy matter of church thanksgivings, and the sacred oratory of pulpits?