vine leave even to attack them, and to
destroy idolatry, and set up the true faith by the sword; finding by
experience that his designs would otherwise proceed very slowly, if they
were not utterly overthrown, and knowing on the other hand that
innovators, when they depend solely on their own strength, and can
compel, seldom run any risk; from whence, the politician observes, it
follows, that all the armed prophets have succeeded, and the unarmed
ones have failed. Moses, Cyrus, Theseus and Romulus would not have been
able to establish the observance of their institutions for any length of
time had they not been armed. The first passage of the Koran, which gave
Mohammed the permission of defending himself by arms, is said to have
been that in the twenty-second chapter: after which a great number to
the same purpose were revealed.

"That Mohammed had a right to take up arms for his own defence against
his unjust persecutors, may perhaps be allowed; but whether he ought
afterwards to have made use of that means for the establishing of his
religion, is a question which I will not here determine. How far the
secular power may or ought to interpose in affairs of this nature,
mankind are not agreed. The method of converting by the sword gives no
very favourable idea of the faith which is so propagated, and is
disallowed by every body in those of another religion, though the same
persons are willing to admit of it for the advancement of their own;
supposing that though a false religion ought not to be established by
authority, yet a true one may; and accordingly force is as constantly
employed in these cases by those who have the power in their hands as it
is constantly complained of by those who suffer the violence."[313]

I do not agree with these words of Mr. George Sale regarding Mohammad,
"and at length, as his forces increased, he pretended to have the divine
leave even to attack them, and to destroy idolatry, and set up the true
faith by the sword;" he never attacked the Koreish or others except in
his own defence. The destruction of idolatry was the chief mission of
Mohammad, and that even was not resorted to by force of arms. There were
neither compulsory conversions nor his history points to any extirpation
of the idolaters at the point of sword from their native countries, as
the chief objects of his mission. The persecutions and civil discord
were to be removed or put a stop to, and force was used to repel force,
b