the public theatre of the world; and from being a common artifan, affumed the character of the greatest of prophets. And notwithstanding these disadvantages, and many others, he made more converts in a year and a few months, and indeed probably in a few weeks, than Mahomet did in many years.

Mahomet having gained the above mentioned nine converts, determined to make his miffion more generally known; and for this purpose forty perfons were invited to give him the meeting; but being prevented from making any declaration of his views at that time, they were all invited again; and then, having informed them of his miffion, but without pretending to give any evidence of it, he asked who would be his fecond, and young Ali declared that he would. But instead of gaining any thing by this meafure, all the company broke out into a fit of laughter.

Not difcouraged at this unpromifing outfet, Mahomet began to preach in public, addreffing himself to all who chose to listen to him. But, upbraiding the people with their idolatry and obftinacy, they were fo pro

voked, that they would have deftroyed him, if he had not been protected by Abutaleb the father of Ali, though he was not then a convert. Sale's Preliminary Discourse, p.58. Continuing to preach, and declare his divine miffion, the number of his followers gra dually increased, and fixteen of them were fo zealous in his caufe, that being on that account perfecuted by their countrymen, they fled to the king of Ethiopia, who received and protected them.

In the fixth year Mahomet's uncle Hamza, and another perfon of fome note, became converts; but the Koreifh in general were fo hostile to him, that they entered into a league to oppose his progress, and engaged to contract no marriage with any of his followers, or to have any friendly communication with them; and a written agreement. for this purpose was laid up in the Caaba, a facred place, the centre of their worship. They did not, however, perfecute any to death; fo that though feveral fled, none died martyrs to their belief of Mahomet's miffion, as great numbers in the earliest ages of Christianity did to that of Jesus. Befides,

VOL. III.

T

the

the only ground of faith in Mahomet was

an opinion of his integrity, in which they might easily be deceived; whereas the ground of faith in the divine miffion of Jefus was the evidence of their fenfes, with refpect to which fuch numbers of persons as are faid to have been witneffes of his miracles could not poffibly have been deceived. This would have been a greater miracle than any of those that were attested by them; since the bodily fenfes of all them must have been under a fupernatural illufion.

In the tenth year of his miffion, Mahomet gave out that God disapproved of the league of the Koreifh, by fending a worm to eat out every word in the written inftrument, except the name of God. And when it was examined, it was found to be in that ftate; and in confequence of this, it is faid that the league was diffolved. It was, however, far from being impoffible for fome zealous friend of Mahomet, to get access to the Caaba, and do with the written inftrument what had been afferted of it; and four years had intervened between the depofiting of this writing in the Caaba and this event. Befides,

Befides, I do not remember that there is any allufion to this miracle in the Koran. And notwithstanding this, the enemies of Mahomet were fo powerful and inveterate, that in this very year he retired to Tayef, fixty miles from Mecca; but being ill received there, he returned to that city. Sale's Preliminary Difcourfe, p. 60.

In this year and the following he, however, converted fix of the inhabitants of Medina, who had been on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Thefe, on their return, engaged many of their townfmen to take his part; and at length they were generally difpofed in his favour. It was in the twelfth year of his miffion that Mahomet pretended to have been carried in the night from Mecca to Jerufalem, and thence, as is faid, to heaven, as was mentioned above. This ftory, as I have obferved, appeared fo incredible, that many of his followers left him upon it; but Abubeker declaring his firm belief of it, his credit was restored, and the ftory being believed, added much to his reputation. Sale's Preliminary Difcourfe, P. 61.

In the thirteenth year of his miffion Mahomet's friends in Medina offered him their affistance, and even took an oath to protect him from all infults, and on this he removed, or rather fled, to Medina; and this flight, called Hegyra, makes an æra in the Mahometan history to this day. He then chose twelve perfons to be his apoftles.

And