tending to be joined with Mahomet in the commiffion to recal mankind from idolatry. He also published written revelations in imitation of the Koran, and propofed to Mahomet to divide the world between them. Writing to Mahomet he began with this expreffion: From Moisellama the apostle of God, to Mahomet the apoftle of God." But Mahomet in reply faid, "Mahomet the apostle of God, to Moifellama the liar," and fent an army against him. But during the few months that Mahomet lived after this revolt Moisellama rather gained than loft ground, fo that he became very formidable. However, in the eleventh year of the Hegyra, Abubeker fent against him an army of forty thousand men, commanded by Ebn al Walid, who was at firft repulfed, with the lofs of 1200 men; but rallying his troops he defeated Moifellama, when no less than ten thousand men were killed on the spot. Univerfal Hiftory, p. 281. Sale's Prelimi nary Discourse, p. 239. This is a fufficient proof that Moifellama had made confiderable progress in the fame way that Mahomet had done, and in much less time. Sejai alfo,

a woman,

a woman, pretended to prophecy. She was followed by her own tribe, and feveral others, and was married to Moifellama. Sale's Preliminary Difcourfe, p. 240.

Another prophet, of the name of Tolika, arofe in the eleventh year of the Hegyra ; but on being defeated in battle, he joined the Caliph Omar. Sale's Preliminary Difcourfe, p. 210. Many other perfons pretending to infpiration arofe among the Mahometans in later times, especially Al Hakem, who gave out that the Deity refided in his person, and therefore claimed divine honours. Sale's Preliminary Difcourfe, p. 242. One Karmata, another pretended prophet, was the founder of the fect of Karmatians, which continued and even increased after his death, and gave great difturbance to the Caliphs at Bagdad, and at length established a confiderable principality. Sale's Preliminary Difcourse, p. 246., Mr. Sale, in his introduction to the Koran, and alfo the writers of the Universal History, give an account of feveral other pretenders to prophecy among the Mahometans.

divifions among many

the fol

We find lowers of Jefus, but no perfon, from the beginning

v 3

ginning of the world to the present day, ever undertook to act the part that he did, of fering himself to die, and engaging to rife again at a fixed time, in proof of his doctrine; and this was a kind of evidence peculiarly fuitable to his doctrine, which was that of an univerfal refurrection. Among the Jews, indeed, there were many who pretended to be the Meffiah; but by no means fuch an one as Jefus had been. They were ready enough to fight like Mahomet, but not voluntarily to fuffer and die. The part that Jefus had acted precluded all attempts at imitation. There were many fects of religion after the time of Jefus, but none of their leaders thought of setting up for themselves in oppofition to him. This was not the cafe of Mahomet,

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE V. PART III.

HAVING now confidered the manner in which Mahometanifm was promulgated, which certainly furnishes no prefumptive evidence of its divine origin, but a ftriking contraft with that of Jefus, the evidence of whofe divine miffion is greatly illuftrated by it; I fhall proceed to consider the religion itfelf; and I doubt not but to all who are impartial it will appear to be such as an impofter might have advanced; being fuch as was not unlikely to recommend itfelf to Mahomet's countrymen, and to a great part of mankind.

In order to acquire fame, and power, as the founder of a religion, it was abfolutely neceffary that a man should have fomething new to propose, and also something striking. It could not, therefore, be fuch as all men were prepared to receive immediately. Some difficulty muft neceffarily be in the way of every thing that is novel. And we have feen that for a long time Mahomet met with much oppofition, and that his religion made

but little progrefs till he became poffeffed of power to enforce it.

1. I have obferved, that it is probable that Mahomet commenced with being a fincere religionist, having rather an enthusiastic turn of mind; and that it was this that led him to retire to his cave near Mecca. It is not improbable also that, in confequence of frequent meditation on the fubject, his acquaintance with the Jews, and his converfations with the Neftorian* monk, he was very early ftruck with the abfurdity and impiety of polytheism, to which a great part of his countrymen were addicted, and alfo with the great and manifeft infringement on the doctrine of the unity of God by almost all the Christians of that age, who had likewife brought their religion into contempt by their divisions and animofities on the subject of the doctrine of the trinity. This article, there

*Neftorianifm bordered fo much on Unitarianifm, that the Neftorians were generally charged with it. They held that Jefus was born a man like other men, but that afterwards the fecond perfon in the trinity refided in him.

fore,