Height, as that the Name of Christian seemed to
be extirpated in those two Quarters of the World, which were then not
the greatest only, but by far the most powerful, I mean _Asia_ and
_Africa_; having totally laid wast all those antient and flourishing
Churches of _Africa_, the Labours of St. _Cyprian_, _Tertullian_, St.
_Augustine_, and 670 Christian Bishops and Fathers, who govern'd there
at once, also all the Churches of _Smyrna_, _Philadelphia_, _Ephesus_,
_Sardis_, _Antioch_, _Laodicea_, and innumerable others in _Pontus_,
_Bithynia_, and the Provinces of the lesser _Asia_.

The _Devil_ having, I say, finish'd these Conquests so much to his
Satisfaction, began to turn his Eyes Northward, and tho' he had a
considerable Interest in the _Whore of Babylon_, and had brought his
Power by the Subjection of the _Roman_ Hierarchy to a great Height, yet
finding the Interest of _Mahomet_ most suitable to his _devilish_
Purposes, as most adapted to the Destruction of Mankind, and laying
waste the World, he resolv'd to espouse the growing Power of the _Turk_,
and bring him in upon _Europe_ like a Deluge.

In order to this, and to make Way for an easy Conquest, like a true
_Devil_ he work'd under Ground, and sap'd the Foundation of the
Christian Power, by sowing Discord among the reigning Princes of
_Europe_; that so envying one another they might be content to stand
still and look on while the _Turk_ devoured them one by one, and at last
might swallow them up all.

This _devilish_ Policy took to his Heart's Content; the Christian
Princes stood still, stupid, dozing, and unconcern'd, till the Turk
conquered _Thrace_, over-run _Servia_, _Macedonia_, _Bulgaria_, and all
the Remains of the _Grecian_ Empire, and at last the Imperial City of
_Constantinople_ it self.

Finding this politic Method so well answer his Ends, the _Devil_, who
always improves upon the Success of his own Experiments, resolv'd from
that time to lay a Foundation for the making those Divisions and
Jealousies of the Christian Princes immortal; whereas they were at
first only personal, and founded in private Quarrels between the Princes
respectively; such as _Emulation_ of one another's Glory, _Envy_ at the
extraordinary Valour, or other Merit of this or that Leader, or
_Revenge_ of some little Affront; for which notwithstanding, so great
was the Piety of Christian Princes in those Days, that they made no
Scruple to sacrifice whole Armies, yea, Nations, to t