BIHTRAND ΓΙΕ Like the Templars, Noureddin fought constantly with spiritual ^"ΛΤιμΓ' and with carnal weapons. He resisted the world and its temptations by fasting and prayer, and by the daily exercise of the moral and religious duties and virtues inculcated by the Koran. He fought with the sword against the foes of Islam, and employed his whole energies, to the last hour of his life, in the enthusiastic and fanatic struggle for the recovery of Jerusalem.* The close points of resemblance, indeed, between the religious fanaticism of the Templars and that of the Moslems are strikingly remarkable. In the Moslem camp, we are told by the Arabian writers, all profane and frivolous conversation was severely prohibited j the exercises of religion were assiduously practised, and the intervals of action were employed in prayer, meditation, and the study of the Koran. The Templars style themselves " The Avengers of Jesus Christ," and the " instruments and ministers of God for the punishment of infidels," and the Pope and the holy fathers of the church proclaim that it is specially entrusted to them " to blot out from the earth all unbelievers," and they bold out the joys of paradise as. the glorious reward for the dangers and difficulties of the task.f " In fighting for Christ," declares St. Bernard, in his ADDRESB to the Templars, " the kingdom of Christ is acquired, . . Go forth, therefore, Ο soldiers, in NOWISE mistrusting, and with a fearless spirit cast down the enemies of the cross of Christ, in the certain assurance that neither in life nor in death can ye be separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, repeating to yourselves in every danger, whether we live or whether we die * Tho virtues of Noureddin are celebrated by the Arabic Historian Bm-Sckunali, in his Rawdkat Almenadhir, by Axxcddin Ebn-al-athrr, by K/tondemir, and in the work entitled, " Theflowers of the two gardens," by Ontaddeddin Salti. See also Will. Tgr. lib. XX. cap. 33. t Régula, cap. xlviii.