The life and death of Mahumed, the author of the Turkish religion being an account of his tribe, parents, birth, name, education, marriages, filthiness of life, Alcoran, first proselytes, wars, doctrines, miracles, advancement, &c. / by L. Addison ... author of The present state of the Jews.

CHAP. XXIII. (Book 23)

A short view of the state of Christia∣nity at the time Mahumed began his Heresie. How the divisions in Christian Religion might help up Mahumedism.

IF we look into the condition of Christi∣anity both before and at the time of the breaking forth of Mahumedism, we shall discern it miserably shaken and convuls'd; the principal Heads of Faith oppugn'd and renounced by various Heresies, and the out∣ward Communion of Christians vilely con∣fused and rent by the contesting Prelates of those days, who minded their own pride and pre-eminence more than the peace and establishment of Christian Religion. There is a Souldier, who in his scabrous and rough Latine, thus describes the state of Christians in the time of Constantius: [Ammianus Mar∣cellinus, lib. 21.] Erat (speaking of that Emperour) super his facilis adimere quae donabat, Christianam Religionem absolutam & simplicem anili superstitione confundens: In quâ scrutanda perplexiùs, quàm compo∣nenda

graviùs, excitavit dissidia plurima, quae progressa fusiùs aluit, concertatione Ver∣borum, ut catervis Antistitum jumentis pub∣licis ultrò citroque discurrentibus per Syno∣dos, quas appellant, dum ritum omnem ad suum trahere conantur arbitrium, rei vehi∣cularis succideret nervos. And lib. 27. Da∣masus & Ursicinus supra humanum modum ad rapiendam Episcopalem sedem ardentes, scissis studiis, asperrimè conflictabantur, ad usque mortis vulnerumque discrimina adju∣mentis utriusque progressis: quae nec corri∣gere sufficiens Viventius, nec mollire coactus secessit in suburbanum: & in Concertatione superaverat Damasus, parte qua ei favebat instante. Constatque in Basilica Sicinini, ubi ritus Christiani est Conventiculum, una die Centum triginta septem reperta cadavera peremptorum: Efferatamque diu plebem aegrè postea delinitam.

In which periods our Author sufficiently insinuates the distracted State of Christiani∣ty, occasioned chiefly by the haughtiness of those very men, whose Office strictly obliged them to a clear contrary deportment. But the Historian, by way of Sarcasm, seems to justifie their proceedings, seeing it was for no lower designe, than that having obtained their purposes, Ditentur oblationibus Ma∣tronarum, procedántque veheculis insidentes circumspectè vestiti, epulas curantes profusas,

adeò ut eorum convivia regales superarent mensas, qui esse poterant beati revera, si magnitudine Ʋrbis despectâ, quam vitiis op∣ponunt, ad imitationem Antistitum quorun∣dum Provincialium viverent: quos tenuitas edendi potandíque parcissimè, vilitas etiam indumentorum, & supercilia humum spe∣ctantia perpetuò Numini verísque ejus culto∣ribus ut puros commendant & verecundos.

But if it be suspected that his great hatred of the Christians moved this Gentile to animadvert too censoriously upon their carriage, then it will be reasonable to enquire what others have delivered in this matter, whom we must needs confess to be free from that partiality, which we may be jealous of in Ammianus.

Eusebius (Lib. 8. c. 1. Hist. Eccles.) de∣scribing the times immediately antecedent Diocletian's Persecution, saith, That through too much liberty the affairs of the Church began to degenerate into Softness and Sloath; and Christians fell to persecute one another with hatred and contumelies, and mutually to wound themselves with petulant Tongues: the people minded nothing but bitter in∣vectives, railings, calumnies and reproaches. The Governors of the Church clashing with, and oppugning one another, drew the Laity into seditious practises. Ʋnder a shew of holiness, the most abominable depravities

were committed, and all manner of iniqui∣ty was acted under the pretence of Religion. The Assemblies of Christians grew cold, thin, and seldom: And when God seemed to have a designe to open their eyes by the persecution rais'd against the Christian Souldiers that were under Veturius, yet they were not at all there∣with moved, nor took the least care to ap∣pease Gods wrath, or render him propitious; but as if they thought the Almighty had ta∣ken no notice of their sins, they went on therein without remorse, adding new to old. The Pastors leaving the rule of Godliness, fell into hatred, discord, threatnings, emulations, enmities, &c. among themselves; minding nothing but haughtiness and pride, and like Tyrants to suppress each other.

This was the miserable condition of the Church at the entrance of the fourth Age: and to this purpose also we find Hermias So∣zomen writing [in Prooem. Eccles. Hist.] where he apologizeth for himself in taking notice of the Seditious among Ecclesiastick persons about Primacy and Prelation; and with due resentment recounts the litigious disputations which were hotly pursued un∣der the pretext of Holiness, and a more per∣fect knowledge of God, to the bitter distur∣bance of the Church; those things being then made matter of controversie, which be∣fore were never questioned. Sozomen Hist.

Eccl. lib. 1. cap. 14. The implacable contest betwixt Gregory the great, Bishop of Rome, and John of Constantinople, about the dig∣nity of Oecumenical Bishop, which hapned about the time of Mahumed, is too noto∣rious to need to be enlarged upon.

But to come a little nearer; Arabia, where Mahumed first appeared, was faln under the pest of Heretical Doctrines, which began in Beryllus Bishop of the Bostri; who that he might pervert the Ecclesiastick Ca∣non, fell into various Opinions about the Divinity of our Saviour, and the immor∣tality of the Soul. And though by the pains of Origen he was reduced, yet the spawn of his Heresie was not quite dri'd up in Mahumed's time. Eusebius intimates their Heterodox opinions, Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 36. out of which Historian St. Aug. (in his Treatise of Heresies) observes, that the Arabians generally held, that humane Souls perish with their Bodies, and like them should be raised at the last. And Danaeus saith, in his Commentaries upon that Book, how Arabia, as also its Neighbour Egypt, was always fruitful in Heresies: and as both Countries have brought forth Serpents ob∣noxious to mens bodies, so likewise Opini∣ons dangerous to their souls. But, what is most remarkable to our purpose, at the very time when Arabia was overspread with the

Heresies among Christians, Mahumed laid the foundation, and sow'd the seeds of his damnable Imposture; as Danaeus observes, in his Comment. in August. de Haeres. 6. pag. 202.

The Collyridians (so called from Collyris, or the wreathed bread which they offered to the Virgin Mary) were at the rise of Mahumed very numerous and prevailing; who, by giving divine honours to the Bles∣sed Lady, brought no little disrepute to Christianity, by giving Mahumed (and his Partizans) occasion to think it guilty of Idolatry; the great sin he at first so zea∣lously preach'd against. But it had been well the Collyridians had been the onely Sect which gave Mahumed opportunity to oppose Christianity. For there were ma∣ny more, such as the Jacobites, Nestorians, Melchites, &c. who served to increase the cry, and which made him so often upbraid Christian Religion with the Division of its Professors; who were so separate in their Opinions, that Mahumed thought them to be no better than a medley of Fanaticks.

And that this troubled state of Chri∣stianity was very advantageous to the de∣signes of this great Deceiver, need not be suggested to the considering Reader, &c.