great changes in the condition of mankind (e).
Mahomet began with making converts in his
own family; and finding himself fuccessful
among these refolved to try what he could
do by perfuafion among perfons of his ac-
quaintance; and had the address to gain
over fome of the principal men of Mecca
to his intereft in the courfe of three years.
Having been thus encouraged he no longer
made his miffion a fecret; but proclaimed
to every person that he was commiffioned
by God to admonish his near relations (ƒ).
For this purpose he fixed a day when ma-
ny who were invited to hear his admoni-
tions became profelytes to his opinions. He
accommodated his difcourfes to the fenti-
ments of his hearers: told the Arians that
as the endeavours of other prophets proved
ineffectual God fent him with a more am-
ple commiffion than Mofes or Chrift; to
establish an earthly kingdom for the propa-
gation of religion and for the extirpation of
those who refufed to be converted. He did
not deny that Mofes and Christ were pro-
phets; but maintained that as the Mofaic
and Chriftian writings were corrupted by the
Jews and Chriftians he came for the pur-
pofe of purging them from errors. He did
not object to the truth of the Jewish and
Christian revelations, but contended that they
were defective; while he pretended his own
was the final and complete declaration of
God's will to mankind fo that men were
not to expect any other revelation. His
opponents required him to prove his divine

(e) Bayle's Obfervations and his Life of Mahomet.
(f) Koran chap: Ixxiv,

IV.

commiffion by fome miracle fimilar to thofe CHAP. wrought by Mofes and Chrift. He refused to comply with this requifition, alleging as an excufe that if he should work miracles and his followers did not believe they muft be utterly destroyed. Sometimes he told them their ancestors defpifed the miracles of other prophets and he would work none; and at other times that they who were ordained to believe fhould do fo without miracles, according to the doctrine of predeftination (g). To encrease his followers he proclaimed liberty to all; fo that multitudes of flaves and fugitives crowded to his ftandard. He promised falvation and a fenfual paradise to those of his own fect however vicious and diffolute; but denounced damnation against infidels without regard to their actions. According to the prophet infidels alone fhall be eternally damned; while Moflems though guilty of the moft heinous of fences fhall be delivered when they fhall have expiated them by their fufferings. No unbeliever or idolater fhall ever be released, nor any believer damned to eternity. Moflems fhall be punished in hell according to their crimes; but delivered when purged of their fins by Abraham or fome other prophet (b). His refufal to work miracles having created diffatisfaction among some of his adherents, a powerful party was formed against him at Mecca: where the magiftrates dreading the troubles which usually attend on innovations in religion declared themselves his enemies. He preached in

(g) Koran chap: xvii,

(b) Keran ch; ii.

CHAP. public and was heard with pleasure and paIV. tience, until he upbraided them and their

fathers with idolatry and corruption: then indeed the Korefhites joined the magiftrates in banishing him from the city. He retired 623. to Medina with a few friends; but was foon joined by a multitude to whom he proposed the scheme of propagating his religion by force of arms. In his first expe

dition he could not boaft of fuccefs; but in the fecond defeated with three hundred and nineteen men a caravan of one thoufand Koreshites, obtained confiderable booty for himself and his adherents, and loft but fourteen men whofe names he enrolled in

his catalogue of martyrs. This perfecution advanced rather than obstructed the propagation of his religion; for had he not been obliged to take up arms in his own defence he might perhaps for ever have continued a private perfon in the capacity of a preacher. But having got at the head of a small army; ambition probably prompted him to form fchemes before unthought of. Before his flight to Medina the fuccefs of his religion was owing to perfuafion and not to compulfion. At first he declared himself only a prophet fent by God to admonish men, but without any authority to compel them to embrace his religion; and even pretended to bear with patience. injuries which were offered him while he was unable to refift (i). Having encreased his followers he told them that God allowed them to defend themselves against their enemies; and as he gathered ftrength pretended to a

(i) Sale fect: ii.

divine permiffion of attacking, for the purpofe of abolishing idolatry and the corruptions of religion. When he came to Medina fupported by an army, he told those who defired to fee his miracles that God fent Mofes and Chrift to reform mankind by perfuafion and miracles: that when these methods proved ineffectual he was commiffioned by God to compel men by the fword to do his will (k). At first he preached and exhorted men to embrace his doctrines; but as foon as his party was encreased we find the preacher transformed into a warrior and offering death or converfion as the only alternative to the vanquished. He told his disciples that the Koran was an abstract of the great book in which the divine decrees were registered; that the angel Gabriel transcribed from thence faithfully verse by verse and chapter by chapter, and delivered them to him as it was neceffary to promulge them. He did not publish his Koran together; for then numerous objections might have been raised against it, which it would be impoffible for him to anfwer. But by bringing it down by chapters he was prepared to refute objections made to preceding chapters, to extricate himself from embarrassments, to quiet difcontents among his followers and to indulge or juftify fome criminal paffions (1).

CHAP.

IV.

Writers have differed widely with refpect The chato the character of Mahomet and to the mo- racter of tives which influenced him to a reformation

Mahomet,

of

IV.

CHAP. of religion. Some think him actuated by enthusiasm, others by ambition: Some have reprefented him as a monfter deftitute of abilities and of every virtue; others confider him endowed with all the virtues. However, moft authors have in one refpect or other miftaken the character and motives of Mahomet. The laudable ambition of restoring religion to its purity and abrogating the fuperftitious rites and idolatrous practices of his countrymen, might poffibly have been the first motive which influenced him to attempt a reformation. At first he could not have forefeen the fucceffes which attended him, nor afpired to the power to which he afterwards arrived, nor expected to gratify any ambition but that of reforming his countrymen from ignorance and fuperftition. The Pagan Arabs were in a deplorable ftate before his time; and he might have thought it a meritorious work to bring them from idolatry and corrup tion to the knowledge of the true God. Though guilty of many crimes he must have carefully concealed them and observed at least fome exterior decorum in his actions. His reputation as a prophet must have been blafted by adultery, perjury, blafphemy and other offences; had they been known to the world. He must have hid thofe crimes until he got at the head of an army and acquired the reputation of generofity, charity, bravery and other virtues which captivate mankind. The prophet of Arabia doubtlefs poffeffed fplendid virtues, blended with many enormous crimes arifing from his predominant paffions of luft and ambition. The latter he at first directed to the laudable purposes of reforming his Countrymen in religion and morals; but af

terwards