continues to this day. But neither at first nor afterwards, were its professors required to exhibit their religion and its evidences amidst keen, sagacious, learned, and philosophical opponents, possessed of superior rank and authority, and able to excite the arm of persecution, in aid of their exertions and reasonings, against the detested innovators; as the case had been, with those by whom Christianity was propagated. The triumphs of Mohammedism were in dark and illiterate ages, and in the dark and illiterate regions, of the world: and, however it may have been in Africa and the east, the revival of learning, and the spirit of acute investigation, which accompanied the reformation of Luther and his coadjutors, stayed the progress of Mohammedism, in all countries to which the influence of that revolution in learning and public opinion extended, and terminated its triumphs; nay, reduced its dominion within more narrow limits. - This leads us to consider,

2. The nature of the religion which Jesus and Mohammed respectively propagated.

The religion of Mohammed, as far as doctrinal points are concerned, resembled in many respects that of modern Socinians or Unitarians, as they very improperly and unfairly call themselves. His great zeal was manifested against ASSOCIATORS; or those who joined idols, or creatures, or Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit, with God in religious worship; whom he condemns and anathematizes, and threatens with hell-fire, almost in every chapter of the Koran, and often repeatedly in the same chapter. He argued almost exactly in the same manner against the idea of God's having a

Son, as Mr. C. does. He attempted to divest Christianity, not only of its corruptions, but also of its mysteries; especially of "the great mystery "of godliness, God manifest in the flesh :" and how palatable this is to the pride of self-wise man we well know. "The offence of the cross," the doctrine of the atonement, and all ideas of redemption, are excluded from his system; along with that of regeneration, and a new creation unto holiness. Consequently the doctrines of original sin, man's depravity as a fallen creature, his universal exposedness to the wrath of God, and his need of gratuitous mercy and salvation, do not at all occur to affront the self-righteous and selfconfident pride of the human heart.

In one particular indeed Mohammed wholly differed from modern Socinians; namely, that a state of future and eternal judgment is a prominent part of his system: but this, as he managed it, exceedingly forwarded his success among rude and ignorant barbarians and half Christians: for none but infidels, and ' associators,' and apostates from his religion, were exposed to it. All who believed in God and in his prophet Mohammed, and paid a kind of quit rent of prayers, alms, and pilgrimages, without regard to the holiness or unholiness of their general conduct, were secured against this tremendous doom. A sort of purgatory was declared for such believers as were not wholly prepared for paradise, or deserving of it: and all zealous believers, especially such as fought for the faith, were secure of immediate admission into his sensual heaven. 'The sword,' says Mohammed,

'

' is the key of heaven and hell; a drop of blood shed in the cause of God, a night spent in arms, is of 'more avail than two months of fasting and prayer. "Whoever dies in battle, his sins are forgiven; ' and at the day of judgment, his wounds shall 'be resplendent as vermilion, and odoriferous as 'musk: and the loss of his limbs shall be supplied 'by the wings of angels.' I apprehend that numbers of nominal Christians would feel much less aversion to the doctrine of future and eternal punishments, if thus limited and explained, with reference to the external profession of Christianity, and attachment to it. Besides the dread of so dire a destruction for themselves, and for relatives and connexions, from which men shrink back; the idea that they are deserving of it for their rebellion against God tends exceedingly to set them against it.

The doctrines of human merit, in general, and of works of supererogation in particular, were inculcated by Mohammed. The two mountains, Sapha and Merva, are monuments of the sacred things of God. He, therefore, who shall go on pilgrimage to the house of God, and shall visit ' it, there shall be no guilt upon him, if he 'surround them: and he who performs any good work, of his own accord, truly God will be grateful.' Koran ch. 2.—¿ï 5 Conj. ε Suo: libitu, et sponte, citra legis necessitatem aut dictamen boni quid fecit, deditve. Of his own 'accord, beyond the necessity or dictating of the 'law, shall give or do any good thing.' Golius. -Especially every exertion, contribution or risk,

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by which the faith of Mohammed could be propagated, was not only meritorious, but entitled a man to indulgences and extra rewards.

It is generally said, that Mohammed held predestination: and this is in some sense true; but his sentiments on that subject neither fully accorded with heathen fatalism, nor with Christian predestination. Differently from the heathens, he supposes, what we may call the fatality of events, to originate entirely from the decree of God: yet he by no means speaks of it as the result of infinite wisdom, justice, goodness, and truth, foreknowing and fore-appointing every thing in the best manner possible, for the display of his own glory, and the highest good of all obedient creatures, and of all the redeemed, and in general of his universal and eternal kingdom. He had just that kind and degree of persuasion, that all events are decreed and must come to pass, which operated on his soldiers in the very same manner as notions of lucky and fortunate do among our soldiers and sailors, to make them confident and fearless in every danger: but, in respect of human actions, he seems to make God the author alike of the good and of the evil.

Stated prayers, giving alms, chiefly a proportion of spoils taken in war, or of other gains, which Mohammed required as an oblation to God; fastings, for which very convenient and accommodating compensations are appointed, and pilgrimages, but especially 'fighting in the path ' of God,' form the substance of his practical religion. Moral precepts are very thinly scattered in the Koran, and very vaguely expressed ; and with much allowance to believers, even as much as the carnal heart can well desire. The " holy, just, good, and spiritual law" of God is as much left out, or thrown into the back ground, as the doctrines of redemption are. As much indulgence to the sensual passion, in respect of polygamy, and the concubinage of females taken in war, is granted, as human nature can wish for. It would be an outrage to common decency to quote the Koran on this subject; and still more its Mohammedan commentators, who generally make the text itself appear more filthy by their glosses than it really is. All limitations, except men could not bear the expense, were merely nominal: a limited number of wives was connected with concubinage, in most cases; while Mohammed's own example greatly exceeded, in licentiousness, the laws, however indulgent, which he prescribed to others. -He indeed, in some places, forbids the use of wine, but in others he seems to allow of it'; or to consider the use of it only as unfavourable to his political designs; for delicious wines form one of the gratifications of his paradise. Not the least restraint was placed by his religion on pride, ambition, avarice, rapacity, or the malignant passions: nay the whole of his system tended greatly to nourish and encourage them. Here then was every thing congenial to depraved nature; every thing gratifying to one or other of the corrupt passions. Even paganism, at least the system of pagan moralists and philosophers, required far more self-denial, and fixed a far higher standard of morals, than Mohammedism does. To crown the whole, it proposed to the