their retreat, were expired, overtook them far advanced in the imperial territories, and" except, fays Mr. Gibbon, "a captive who was pardoned, and "difmiffed, the Arabs enjoyed the fa"tisfaction of believing, that not a "Chriftian of either fex efcaped the "edge of their fcymitars." To these inftances of the deftructive progress of this power, I will only add that of the battle of Yermuk, fought about three years afterwards, in which according to the report of an Arabian General, copied by the hiftorian, though he affects to doubt its accuracy, one hundred and fifty thousand Greeks and Syrians were destroyed. From these specimens then given within a fmall portion of the extensive scene of their conquefts, we may moft juftly conclude, that the accomplishment of this part of the character of the Mahometan power was no

1

lefs remarkably correct, than that of any of the foregoing.

It is further declared by the prophet, that this King of fierce countenance, "through his policy alfo fhall cause craft to profper in his hand." Of this characteristic of the Mahometan power the following paffages of the hiftorian contain fufficient evidence. "The difciples "of Abraham, of Mofes, and of Jefus "were folemnly invited to accept the

more perfect revelation of Mahomet; "but if they preferred the payment of a moderate tribute, they were entitled to the freedom of confcience, and religious worship. In a field of battle "the forfeit lives of the prifoners were redeemed by the profession of Islam; "the females were bound to embrace "the religion of their masters; and a "race of fincere profelytes was gradu"ally multiplied by the education of

the

"the infant captives. But the millions of african and afiatic converts, who "fwelled the native band of the faithful

66.

66

Arabs, must have been allured, rather " than constrained, to declare their be"lief in one God and the apostle of God. By the repetition of a fentence "and fubmiffion to circumcifion, the fub

66

ject or the flave, the captive or, the "criminal, arofe, in a moment, the free "and equal companion of the victorious

Moflems. Every fin was expiated every engagement was diffolved: The "vow of Celibacy was fuperfeeded by "the indulgence of nature; the active

fpirits who flept in a cloyfter were

awakened by the trumpet of the Sara"cens; and in the convulfion of the "world, every member of fociety afcend

ed to the natural level of his capacity and courage" In the profecution "of the war, their policy (that of the Saracens) was not lefs effectual -than

their fword, By fhort and feperate "truces they diffolved the union of the enemy; accustomed the Syrians to

66

.

66

compare their friendship with their enmity; familiarized the idea of their language, religion. and manners; and "exhausted by clandeftine purchase, "the magazines and arfenals of the "cities which they returned to befiege." In a recent action under the walls of Emefa, an Arabian youth, the coufin of Caled, was heard aloud to exclaim, methinks I fee the black

66

66

eyed girls looking upon me; one of "whom, fhould the appear in this world, all mankind would die for "love of her, and I fee in the hand of one "them, an handkerchief of green filk, " and a cap of precious ftones, and "fhe beckons me, and calls out, come "hither quickly for I love thee." (Ch. 51) To these I must add one more inftance of policy; the Caliph Abube

ker

ker in a circular letter fummoning the tribes of Arabia to invade Syria, clofes thus, and I would have

the epifle thus,

66

you know, that the fighting for reli

gion is an act of obedience to God.” Confiftently with which leffon, after the battle array was formed at Yermuk "the exhortation of the Generals was "brief and forcible: Paradife is before you, the Devil and Hellfire in your rear."

The remaining particulars in the prophet Daniel's defcription being enlarged on in the book of the revelation, the confideration of the completion of them will be more properly deferred, till we meet them again in the prediction of St. John, whose wonderfull defcription of the rife and progrefs of Mahomet, and his Saracens runs thus: " and the fifth "angel founded, and I faw a ftar fall "from Heaven unto the earth: And to him.

K 3