party succeeded in raising kings to the throne, who were followers of their respective creeds. We have already adverted to the persecutions of the Christians by the Jewish king of Yemen, in which many who would not embrace Judaism were executed; nor was the Christian prince Abraha, who was placed upon the throne by Nagush, more successful in gaining the esteem and affection of the different sects, extant at that period in Arabia.

Judaism as a religion had greatly degenerated from its original purity. When Mohammed charges the Jews in the Koran with believing Ezra to be the Son of God, 40 we may at least take for granted that they manifested a superstitious reverence for his memory: although they retained the Monotheism of the Old Testament, yet Jehovah, according to their view, was no longer the God of the Universe, but exclusively the God of the Jews. In the Talmud, which was already considered a standard authority in matters of faith, God is represented "as roaring like a lion in each of the three watches of the night, and as shaking his head;"41 and according to it the "divine Spirit" was heard "moaning like a dove out of grief for Israel" as often as the Amen was responded to

42

in the synagogue. Strangers naturally shrank

the Jews say: Ezra قالوا لليهود عزير ابن الله 40

(Ozeir) was the son of God." Sur. IX. 30.

41 Talmud I. Sect. 1.

42 3pn invariably signifies the Divine Spirit in Talmudic Theology.

D*

from the exclusive creed of a hated nation, who had made themselves obnoxious by the spirit of persecuting proselytism, 43 to which we have alluded, and this produced a desire for a religion, whose blessings were not confined to one particular race.

That Christianity prevailed in Arabia to a great extent cannot be doubted, when we read of so many Bishoprics having existed in divers parts of the country. When the Jewish Kingdom was destroyed by the Christians about forty years before the birth of Mohammed, a Church was built in Sana eclipsing the temple of Mecca in beauty and magnificence. But how corrupt the doctrines and practices of the Arab Christians were at that period, will appear partly from the Koran15, and partly from the writings of the Church historian Epiphanius, who speaks of a Christian sect deifying the Virgin Mary, and offering a twisted cake on her altars, from whence their name

46

Collyridians. That Mohammed made use of spu

43 Essai sur l'Histoire des Arabes avant l'Islamisme, pendant l'Epoque de Mahomet. Par A. P. Caussin de Perceval tom. 1. p. 128. 129.

44 "Die Lehre Jesu hatte sehr frühe in Arabien Bekenner gefunden, und es sind daselbst verschiedene Bisthümer und in mehreren Städten Metropolitankirchen errichtet gewesen. Vom dritten Jahrhundert an nahmen auch die in andern Ländern Asiens verfolgten und bedrängten christlichen Parteien ihre Zuflucht und Freistatt in Arabien." Wahl pag. 15.

45 Jesus is asked whether it was true that he said to men:

accipite me et matrem اتخذوني وامي الهين من دون الله

meam in duos Deos praeter Deum." Sur. V. 116. "Again they are certainly infidels who say God is the third of three." Sur. V. 77.

the others are وللاجران عيسى وامه :to which Jelladin adds others“

Jesus and his mother."

46 Epiphanius speaks of a sect, which he describes as: aru

rious Gospels, and that these Pseudo-Gospels countenanced the deification of the Virgin is equally certain. 47 Amidst the bloody feuds of the Eastern Church, many of its corrupt members fled to the Huns and Vandals in Africa and some into Arabia; in most instances carrying with them nothing but a Christian Paganism; hence their proselytes were but a shade superior to the Pagans. As an additional proof of heretical teaching in those days, may be added, that the mysterious and blessed dogma of the holy Trinity was converted into a positive Tritheism; thus representing, Father, Son and Holy Ghost as three distinct Gods. 48 From these scanty allusions to the condition of the Eastern Church in general, and to that of Arabia in particular, it will be sufficiently clear, that Christianity in the age in which Mohammed appeared, had been reduced to a mere carcase, and "where the carcase is, there the eagles will be gathered together."49

Θεοῦ ταυτὴν (i. e the Virgin Mary) παρεισαγεῖν σπουδάζοντες. Haeres. LXXVIII. 79. And d'Herbelot Orient. Lib. III. 398. observes that the oriental Christians have given to Mary the title:

: domina, and that the Greek Father Cyril styled her the supplement of the Trinity. Then the coronos which was so stoutly defended, gave cause to corrupt teaching. Vide also the article: "Das Theologumenon vom vεvua por als der Mutter Christi." Nitzsch "Theologische Studien". Vol. 1. 1816.

47 Origen. in Joan. Vol. IV. pag. 63. ed. de la Rue. Eav de προσίεταί τις τὸ καθ' Εβραίους ευαγγέλιον, ἔνθα ἀντὸς ὁ σωτὴρ φῆσιν· ἄρτι ἔλαβε μὲ ἡ μήτηρ μου, τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ἐν μιᾷ τῶν τριχῶν μοῦ καὶ ἀπηνέγκε με εἰς τὸ μέγα Θάβος.

48 This was done e. g. by the celebrated Joannes Philoponus, who died in 610. the very year of Mohammed's Mission. Leontius de sectis act. V. 6.

49 Dr. Grant's Nestorians pag. 267. The Arab independence

Lastly the Arabs themselves at that period were roused and perplexed by the discordant elements of a corrupt Judaism, and a depraved Christian Church, on the one hand, and by native idolatry, blended with noble remnants of a Patriarchal Monotheism on the other. The Jews, they thought, in rejecting their last prophet, had forfeited their ancient dignity; and they considered that the Christians had run into an opposite extreme by ascribing to him a divine character, and surrendering the doctrine of the divine unity. They deemed the time now come for them, to have a prophet of their own, who would restore the religion of Abraham, and put an end to the state of ferment, into which the Peninsula had been thrown by the concussion of Judaism, Christianity, Sabaism, and the idolatry which they inherited from their fore-fathers.

As a proof that such was the state of things we refer to certain signs of dissatisfaction with the state of religion, some years prior to the alleged Mission of Mohammed. 50 On the occasion of a great meeting of the tribe of Koreish four men sat in secret conclave and imparted to each other the following sentiments: “Our fellow-countrymen are in a wrong path, they are far astray from the religion of Abraof thought displayed itself among the Christians in the acceptance of nearly every kind of heresy. Ebionites, Beryllites, Nazaraeans, Arians, Semi-Arians and Collyridians vied with each other to destroy the Church, which was planted by St. Bartholomew, St. Pantaenus and St. Simon Stylites. Epiph. de Haeres. lib. I. Haer. 40. and Sozom. Hist. Eccles. lib. I. cap. 16. 17. Sale's Prelem. remarks Sect. II. pag. 24. 25.

50

Lectures on Mahometanism by Cazenove pag. 47.

ham. What is this pretended divinity to which they immolate victims, and around which they make solemn processions? A dumb and senseless block of stone, incapable of good and evil. It is all a mistake: seek we the truth, seek we the pure religion of our father Abraham. To find it, let us quit our country, if need be, and traverse foreign lands."54 Three of these became acquainted on their travels with the truths of Christianity; but one of them, Zaid, having been kept back by his relatives, who were offended at his evident estrangement from pagan superstition, went day by day to the Kaaba, and prayed the Almighty to enlighten him. 52

Not knowing the truth, he opposed what he knew to be false, testified against superstition, forbade men to eat the flesh of victims offered to idols, and protested against the practice of destroying their infant daughters. When imprisoned by his uncle he escaped and after wandering from place to place, he heard from a Christian monk, that an Arab prophet was preaching the religion of Abraham at / Mecca. Zaid hastened back to hear Mohammed, but was robbed and murdered on the road. 53 Nor were

51 These four men were Waraca, son of Naufal; Othman, son of Houwayrith; Obaydallah, son of Djahch; and Zaid, son of Amer. The three first became Christians, and thus satisfied their craving after truth.

52 He might be seen leaning his back against the wall of the temple, repeating the prayer; "Lord if I knew in what way thou didst will to be adored and served, I would obey thy will; but I know it not." Caussin tom. I. p. 321.

53 This precursor of Mohammed, says M. Caussin de Perceval, has been hitherto almost unnoticed by European Savans.