ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 



evil. They admit of polygamy, or a plurality 

 of wive?, and forbid the ufe of wine and other 

 ftrong liquors. They have adopted the Jewifh 

 cultom of circumcifion. Their morality confifts 

 in doing good and avoiding evil. They hope 

 for the mercy of God, and the forgivenefs of fins, 

 and recommend, in a particular manner, pr:,_ 

 and ablutions or the ufe of baths, that is cor- 

 poreal purity. Chriftian divines have frequently 

 attributed to the Mahometans errors which they 

 do not piofets : it muft be acknowledged, at the 

 fame time, that the Coran, notwithstanding all 

 that we there find, which is fagacious and even 

 fublime, abounds with abfurdities and fuch idle 

 tales as are offenfive to common fcnfe. We 

 ought not, however, always to attribute thefe to 

 Mahomet, for they are frequently the produce 

 of his commentators, and of the enthufiaftic fpi- 

 rit of the oriental nations. 



XI. The MufTulmans are at this day divided 

 into two principal feds, and who are even mortal 

 enemies to each other. The Perfians glory in 

 being the followers of Ali, and wear a red tur- 

 ban. The Turks, on the contrary, hold the 

 memory of Ali in contempt, following the feet 

 of Omar, and wear a white turban. There are 

 many other feds among the Mahometans, of 

 whom they count even fixty-feven. All thefe 

 feds, however, occafion no Ichifm, but agree 

 jn their fundamental dogmas j pray, give alms, 



make 



