ow of celibacy was superseded by the indulgence of
nature; the active spirits who slept in the cloister were awakened by
the trumpet of the Saracens; and in the convulsion of the world, every
member of a new society ascended to the natural level of his capacity
and courage. The minds of the multitude were tempted by the invisible as
well as temporal blessings of the Arabian prophet; and charity will
hope that many of his proselytes entertained a serious conviction of
the truth and sanctity of his revelation. In the eyes of an inquisitive
polytheist, it must appear worthy of the human and the divine nature.
More pure than the system of Zoroaster, more liberal than the law of
Moses, the religion of Mahomet might seem less inconsistent with reason
than the creed of mystery and superstition, which, in the seventh
century, disgraced the simplicity of the gospel.

[Footnote 196: The Harbii, as they are styled, qui tolerari nequeunt,
are, 1. Those who, besides God, worship the sun, moon, or idols. 2.
Atheists, Utrique, quamdiu princeps aliquis inter Mohammedanos superest,
oppugnari debent donec religionem amplectantur, nec requies iis
concedenda est, nec pretium acceptandum pro obtinenda conscientiae
libertate, (Reland, Dissertat. x. de Jure Militari Mohammedan. tom. iii.
p. 14;) a rigid theory!]

[Footnote 197: The distinction between a proscribed and a tolerated
sect, between the Harbii and the people of the Book, the believers in
some divine revelation, is correctly defined in the conversation of the
caliph Al Mamum with the idolaters or Sabaeans of Charrae, (Hottinger,
Hist. Orient. p. 107, 108.)]

In the extensive provinces of Persia and Africa, the national religion
has been eradicated by the Mahometan faith. The ambiguous theology
of the Magi stood alone among the sects of the East; but the profane
writings of Zoroaster [198] might, under the reverend name of Abraham,
be dexterously connected with the chain of divine revelation. Their evil
principle, the daemon Ahriman, might be represented as the rival, or as
the creature, of the God of light. The temples of Persia were devoid of
images; but the worship of the sun and of fire might be stigmatized as a
gross and criminal idolatry. [199] The milder sentiment was consecrated
by the practice of Mahomet [200] and the prudence of the caliphs; the
Magians or Ghebers were ranked with the Jews and Christians among the
people of the written law; [201] and as late as the third