SECT. VII. And of the methods by which each law was propagated.

NEXT let us see the method by which each religion was propagated. As for the Christian religion, we have already said several times that its increase was owing to the miracles not only of Christ, but of his disciples and their successors; and also to their patiently enduring of hardships and torments. But the teachers of Mahometanism did not work any miracles, did not endure any grievous troubles, nor any severe kinds of death, for that profession. But that religion follows where arms lead the way;⁷⁷⁶⁷⁷⁶   Azoara x. xviii. xxxii. it is the companion of arms; nor do its teachers bring any other arguments for it,⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷   Azoara xxxii. lvii. but the success of war, and the greatness 237of its power; than which nothing is more fallacious. They themselves condemn the Pagan rites, and yet we know how great the victories of the Persians, Macedonians, and Romans were, and how far their enemies extended themselves. Neither was the event of war always prosperous to the Mahometans; there are remarkable slaughters which they have received in very many places, both by land and sea.⁷⁷⁸⁷⁷⁸   And greater since the time of Grotius. For they were driven, after many slaughters, from the Austrian dominions, from Hungary, Transylvania, and Peloponnesus, not many years since. And since that time, the Turkish empire seems to decrease. In the year 1715, after these short notes were first published, the Turks recovered the Morea, which was poorly defended by the Venetian governors; but in the following year, 1716, when they attempted to invade Hungary and the island of Corsica, they were first overthrown in a great fight by the Germans, under the command of prince Eugene of Savoy, and lost Temeswaer, which was forced to yield after a stout siege; then being repulsed by the valour of count Schulembourg, not without loss, they retired to their fleet. While I was writing this, April 1717, they threatened they would attempt the same again with new forces, but the Germans did not seem to be much affected with it. Le Clerc. They are driven out of all Spain. That thing cannot be a certain mark of true religion, which has such uncertain turns, and which may be common both to good and bad: and so much the less, because their arms were unjust, and often taken up against a people who no ways disturbed them,⁷⁷⁹⁷⁷⁹   Azoara xix. nor were distinguished for any injury they had done; so that they could have no pretence for their arms but religion, which is the most profane thing that can be; for there is no worship of God, but such as proceeds from a willing mind.⁷⁸⁰⁷⁸⁰   Lactantius, book x. chap. 20. “For there is nothing so voluntary as religion: in which, if the mind of the sacrificer goes contrary, it is taken away; there remains none.” Now the will is inclined only by instruction and persuasion, not by threats and force. He that is compelled to believe a thing, does not believe it, but only pretends to believe it that he may avoid some evil. He that 238would extort assent, from a sense of evil, or from fear, shews by that very thing that he distrusts arguments. And again, they themselves destroy this very pretence of religion, when they suffer those who are reduced to their obedience to be of what religion they please: nay, and sometimes they openly acknowledge, that Christians may be saved by their own law.⁷⁸¹⁷⁸¹   Azoara ii. and xii. The book of the doctrine of Mahomet—see Euthymius.