we had not been flain here.

Anfwer, If ye had been in your houses, verily they would have gone forth to fight, whose flaughter was decreed, to the places where they died."

6. In warm regions, the appetite of the fexes is ardent, the paffion for inebriating liquors moderate. In compliance with this diftinction, although Mahomet laid a reftraint upon the drinking of wine, in the use of women he allowed an almost unbounded indulgence. Four wives, with the liberty of changing them at pleasure, together with the persons of all his captives ‡, was an irresistible bribe to an Arabian warrior. "God is minded," fays he, speaking of this very fubject, "to make his religion Eght u to you, for man was created weak.” How different this from the unaccommodating purity of the gofpel! How would Mahomet have fucceeded with the Chrif

tian leffon in his mouth, "Whofoever looketh after a woman to luft after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart?" It must be added, that Mahomet did not venture upon the prohibition of wine, till the fourth year of the Hegira, or the feventeenth of his miffion *, when his military fucceffes had completely established his authority. The fame obfervation holds of the faft of the Ramadan †, and of the most laborious part of his inftitution, the pilgrimage to Mecca ‡.

What has hitherto been collected from the records of the Muffulman hiftory, relates to the twelve or thirteen years of Mahomet's peaceable preaching, which part alone of his life and enterprife admits of the smallest comparison with the origin of

*Mod. Un. Hift. vol. i. P. 126. + Ib. p. 112.

This latter, however, already prevailed amongst the Arabs, and had grown out of their exceffive veneration for the Caaba. Mahomet's law, in this refpect, was rather a compliance than an innovation§.

§ Sale's Prelim. Difc. p. 122.

Christianity. A new fcene is now unfolded. The city of Medina, diftant about ten days journey from Mecca, was at that time dif tracted by the hereditary contentions of two hoftile tribes. Thefe feuds were exafperated by the mutual perfecutions of the Jews and Chriftians, and of the different Chriftian fects by which the city was inhabited * The religion of Mahomet prefented, in fome measure, a point of union or compromife to thefe divided opinions. It embraced the principles which were common to them all. Each party faw in it an honourable. acknowledgement of the fundamental truth of their own fyftein. To the Pagan Arab, fomewhat imbued with the fentiments and knowledge of his Jewish or Christian fellow citizen, it offered no offenfive, or very improbable théology. This recommendation. procured to Mahometanism a more favourable reception at Medina, than its author had been able, by twelve years painful endeavours, to obtain for it at Mecca. Yet,

Mod. Un. Hift. vol. 1. p. 100.

after

after all, the progrefs of the religion was inconfiderable. His miffionary could only collect a congregation of forty persons *. It was not a religious, but a political affociation which ultimately introduced Mahomet into Medina. Haraffed, as it should feem, and difgufted by the long continuance of factions and difputes, the inhabitants of that city faw in the admiffion of the Prophet's authority a reft from the miferies which they had fuffered, and a fuppreffion of the violence and fury which they had learned to condemn. After an embaffy therefore, compofed of believers and unbelieverst, and of perfons of both tribes, with whom a treaty was concluded of strict alliance and fupport, Mahomet made his public entry, and was received as the Sovereign of Mediną.

From this time, or foon after this time, the impoftor changed his language and his conduct. Having now a town at his com

* I. p. 85.

+ Ib. p. 85.

mand,

mand, where to arm his party, and to head them with fecurity, he enters upon new councils. He now pretends that a divine commiffion is given to him to attack the infidels, to destroy idolatry, and to set up the true faith by the fword*. An early victory over a very fuperior force, achieved by conduct and bravery, established the renown of his arms, and of his perfonal character. Every year after this was marked by battles or affaffinations. The nature and activity of Mahomet's future exertions may be estimated from the computation, that, in the nine following years of his life, he commanded his army in perfon in eight general engagements ‡, and undertook, by himfelf or his lieutenants, fifty military enterprises.

From this time we have nothing left to account for, but that Mahomet fhould collect an army, that his army fhould conquer, and that his religion fhould proceed together

Victory of Bedr, ib. p. 106.

* Ib.

p. 88.

Un. Hift, vol. 1. p. 255.