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with his conquefts. The ordinary experi ence of human affairs leaves us little to wonder at, in any of thefe effects: and they were likewife each affifted by peculiar facilities. From all fides, the roving Arabs crowded round the standard of religion and plunder, of freedom and victory, of arms and rapine. Befide the highly painted joys of a carnal paradife, Mahomet rewarded his followers in this world with a liberal divifion of the spoils, and with the perfons of their female captives*. The condition of Arabia, occupied by fmall independent tribes, expofed it to the impreffion, and yielded to the progress of a firm and refolute army. After the reduction of his native peninsula, the weakness also of the Roman provinces on the North and the Weft, as well as the distracted ftate of the Persian empire on the Eaft, facilitated the fuccessful invasion of neighbouring countries. That Mahomet's conquefts fhould carry his religion along with them, will excite little fur

* Gibb. vol. ix. p. 255.

prife, when we know the conditions which he proposed to the vanquished. Death or converfion was the only choice offered to idolaters. "Strike off their heads; ftrike off all the ends of their fingers*: kill the idolaters, wherefoever ye fhall find them t." To the Jews and Chriftians was left the fomewhat milder alternative, of fubjection and tribute, if they perfifted in their own religion, or of an equal participation in the rights and liberties, the honours and privileges, of the faithful, if they embraced the religion of their conquerors. "Ye Chriftian dogs, you know your option; the Koran, the tribute, or the fword ." The corrupt ftate of Chriftianity in the feventh century, and the contentions of its fects, unhappily fo fell in with men's care of their safety, or their fortunes, as to induce many to forfake its profeffion. Add to all which, that Mahomet's victories not only operated by the natural effect of conqueft, but that they

* Sale's Koran, c. viii. p. 140. Gibb. ib. p. 337.

+ Ib. c. ix. p. 149.

were

were conftantly reprefented, both to his friends and enemies, as divine declarations. in his favour. Succefs was evidence. Profperity carried with it, not only influence, but proof. "Ye have already," fays he, after the battle of Bedr, "had a miracle fhown you, in two armies which attacked each other; one army fought for God's true religion, but the other were infidels *." Again, "Ye flew not thofe who were flain at Bedr, but God flew them. If defire a decifion of the matter between us, now hath a decifion come unto you t."

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Many more paffages might be collected out of the Koran to the fame effect. But they are unneceffary. The fuccefs of Mahometanifm during this, and indeed every future period of its hiftory, bears fo little refemblance to the early propagation of Christianity, that no inference whatever can juftly be drawn from it to the prejudice of the Chriftian argument. For what are we

Sale's Kor. c. iii. p. 36.

+ Ch. viii. p. 141.

comparing?

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comparing? A Galilean peafant accompa nied by a few fishermen, with a conqueror at the head of his. army. We compare Jefus without force, without power, without fupport, without one external circumftance of attraction or influence, prevailing against the prejudices, the learning, the hierarchy of his country, against the ancient religious opinions, the pompous religious rites, the philofophy, the wisdom, the authority of the Roman empire, in the most polished and enlightened period of its exiftence, with Mahomet making his way amongst Arabs; collecting followers in the midft of conquefts and triumphs, in the darkeft ages and countries of the world, and when fuccefs in arms not only operated by that command of men's wills and perfons which attends profperous undertakings, but was confidered as a fure teftimony of divine approbation. That multitudes, perfuaded by this argument, fhould join the train of a victorious chief; that ftill greater multitudes fhould, without any argument, bow down before irrefiftible power, is a conduct in

which we cannot fee much to furprise us: in which we can fee nothing that resembles the causes by which the establishment of Chriftianity was effected.

The fuccefs therefore of Mahometanifm ftands not in the way of this important conclufion, that the propagation of Chriftianity, in the manner and under the circumftances in which it was propagated, is an unique in the history of the fpecies. A Jewish peasant overthrew the religion of the world.

I have, nevertheless, placed the prevalency of the religion amongst the auxiliary arguments of its truth; because, whether it had prevailed or not, or whether its prevalency can or cannot be accounted for, the direct argument remains ftill. It is ftill true, that a great number of men upon the spot, perfonally connected with the history and with the author of the religion, were induced by what they heard and faw and knew, not only to change their former opinions, but to give up their time, and facrifice

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