III。Buttheholywarswhichhavebeenwagedineveryclimateoftheglobe，fromEgypttoLivonia，andfromPerutoHindostan，requirethesupportofsomemoregeneralandflexibletenet。Ithasbeenoftensupposed，andsometimesaffirmed，thatadifferenceofreligionisaworthycauseofhostility；thatobstinateunbelieversmaybeslainorsubduedbythechampionsofthecross；andthatgraceisthesolefountainofdominionaswellasofmercy。Abovefourhundredyearsbeforethefirstcrusade，theeasternandwesternprovincesoftheRomanempirehadbeenacquiredaboutthesametime，andinthesamemanner，bytheBarbariansofGermanyandArabia。TimeandtreatieshadlegitimatedtheconquestoftheChristianFranks；butintheeyesoftheirsubjectsandneighbors，theMahometanprinceswerestilltyrantsandusurpers，who，bythearmsofwarorrebellion，mightbelawfullydrivenfromtheirunlawfulpossession。^21
[Footnote*:\"God，\"saystheabbotGuibert，\"inventedthecrusadesasanewwayforthelaitytoatonefortheirsinsandtomeritsalvation。\"Thisextraordinaryandcharacteristicpassagemustbegivenentire。\"Deusnostrotemporepraeliasanctainstituit，utordoequestrisetvulgusoberransquivetustaePaganitatisexemploinmutuasversabaturcaedes，novumreperirentsalutispromerendaegenus，utnecfundituselecta，utfieriassolet，monasticaconversatione，seureligiosaqualibetprofessionesaeculumrelinquerecongerentur；sedsubconsuetalicentiaethabituexsuoipsorumofficioDeialiquantenusgratiamconsequerentur。\"Guib。Abbas，p。371。SeeWilken，vol。
i。p。63。—M。]
[Footnote21:ThevithDiscourseofFleuryonEcclesiasticalHistoryp。223—261containsanaccurateandrationalviewofthecausesandeffectsofthecrusades。]
AsthemannersoftheChristianswererelaxed，theirdisciplineofpenance^22wasenforced；andwiththemultiplicationofsins，theremediesweremultiplied。Intheprimitivechurch，avoluntaryandopenconfessionpreparedtheworkofatonement。Inthemiddleages，thebishopsandpriestsinterrogatedthecriminal；compelledhimtoaccountforhisthoughts，words，andactions；andprescribedthetermsofhisreconciliationwithGod。Butasthisdiscretionarypowermightalternatelybeabusedbyindulgenceandtyranny，aruleofdisciplinewasframed，toinformandregulatethespiritualjudges。ThismodeoflegislationwasinventedbytheGreeks；