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" The fii !l praife of all the proilviclions of genius is in- 

 vention, that Ci'iality of the mind, which, by the extent and 

 ijuicknefs of its views, is capable of the largell conceptions, 

 iiiid of forming; new combinations of objects the moll dif- 

 tant and iinufual. But tlie Koran bears little impreffion of 

 this tranfccndtnt charaAcr. Its materials are wholly bor- 

 rowed from tlic Jewifli and Chriliian fcriptures, from the 

 Talmudical legends, and apocryphal f^ofpels then current in 

 the eai'l, and from the traditions and fables which abounded 

 in Arabia. The materials, collected from thefe fevcral fourccs, 

 are here heaped together, with perpetual and ncedlefs repe- 

 titioEis, without any fettled principle or vifible connexion. 

 When a great part of the life of ATahomet had been fpent 

 in preparatory meditation on the fyllcm he was about to 

 ellablilh, its chapters were dealt out flowly and feparately 

 during the long period of 23 years. Yet thus defcclive in 

 it» tlruAure, and not lefj exceptionable in its doctrines, was 

 the worlv which Mahomet delivered to his followers as the 

 oracles of God. 



" Tile moll prominent feature of the Koran, that 

 point of excellence in which the partiality of its admirers 

 has ever delighted to view it, is the fublime notion it ge- 

 nerally imprefles of the nature and attributes of God. If 

 its author had really derived thele juil conceptions from 

 the infpiration of that being, whom they attempt to de- 

 fcribe, they would not have been furrounded, as they now 

 are on every fide, with error and abiurdity. But it might 

 ealily be proved, that whatever it julliy defines of the di- 

 vine attributes, was borrowed from our holy icripture ; 

 which even from its firil promulgation, but efpecially from 

 the completion of the new teilament, has extended the 

 views, and enlightened the underftandings of mankind ; 

 and thus furniihed them with arms, which have too often 

 been ineffeClually turned againil itfelf by its ungenerous 

 enemies. 



" In this inllance particularly, the copy is far below 

 the great original, both in the propriety of its images, and 

 the force of its defcriptions. Our holy fcriptures are the 

 only compofitions that can enable the dim fight of morta- 

 lity to penetrate into the invifible world, and to behold a 

 glimpfe of the divine perfcftions. Accordingly, when 

 they would reprelent to us the happinefs of heaven, they 

 defcribe it, not by any thing minute and particular, but 

 by fomething general and great : fomething, that without 

 defcending to any determinate object, may, at once by its 

 beauty and immenfity, excite our wiflies and elevate our 

 affeftions. Though, in the prophetical and evangelical 

 writings, the joys that fhall attend us in a future Hate 

 are often mentioned with ardent admiration, they are ex- 

 prefTed rather by allulious than fimilitude, rather by in- 

 definite and figurative terms, than by any thing fixed and 

 determinate. ' Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither 



• have entered into the heart of man tlie things which 



• God hath prepared for them that love him.' i Cor. ii. 9. 

 What a reverence and allonilhment does this pafiage ex- 

 cite in evei'y hearer of talle and piety ? What energy, and 

 at the fame time, what limplicity in the exprelTion ! How 

 fublime, and at the fame time, how obfcure is the imagery ! 

 Different was the conducl of Mahomet in his defcriptions 

 of heaven and of paradife. Unafiilled by the necelTary 

 influence of virtuous intentions and divine infpiration, he 

 was neither defirous, nor indeed able to exalt the minds of 

 men to fublime conceptions or to rational expeftations. 

 By attempting to explain what is inconceivable, to de- 

 fcribe what is ineffable, and to materialize what in itfelf 

 is fpiritual, he abfurdly and impionflv dcfired to fenfuahze 

 the purity of the divine effence. Thus he fabricated a 



fydcm of incoherence, .i religion of depravity, totally repug- 

 nant indeed to the nature of that Being, who, asheprettni- 

 cd, was its objeCl ; but therefore more 1 kely to accord 

 vviih the appetites and conceprions of a corrupt and fcn- 

 fual age. 



" That I may not appear," fays the preacher, " to 

 exalt our fcriptures thus far above the Koran by an lui- 

 rcafonable preference, I fliall produce a part of the fccoud 

 chapter of tlie latter, which is defervedly admired by the 

 Mahometans, who wear it engraved on their ornaments, 

 and recite it in their prayers. — ' God ! there is no God 

 but he ; the living, the fclf-fubfilling : neither flumber nor 

 ileep feizeth him : to him belongelh whatever is in heaven 

 and on cartli. Who is he that can intercede with hint 

 but through his good pleafnrc ? He knovveth that wiiich 

 is pall, and that which is to come. His tlirone is ex- 

 tended over heaven and earth, and the prelervation of both 

 is to him no burden : lie is the high, the mighty.' To 

 this defcription who can refufe the praife of magnllicence ? 

 Part of that magnificence, however, is to be referred to 

 that verfe of the pfalmill, whence it was borrowed : ' He 

 that keepeth Ifrael, fliall neither flumber nor fleep.' Pf. 

 cxxi. 4. But if we compare it with that other pafTage of 

 the fame infpircd pfalmill, all its hoafled grandeur is at 

 once obfcured, and loll in the blaze of a greater liglit. 

 ' O my God, take me not away in the midfl of my days ; 

 thy years are throughout all generations. Of old hall tliou 

 laid the foundations of the earth ; and the iieavens are the 

 works of thy hands. They Ihall perifli, but thou (h :lt 

 endure ; yea, all of them lliall wax old, as dotti a gar- 

 ment ; as a vellure flialt thou change them, and they Ihall 

 be changed ; but thou art the fame, and thy years fliall 

 not fail.' 



" The Koran, therefore, upon a rctrofpeAive view of 

 thefe feveral circumftanccs, far from fupporting its arrogant 

 claim to a fupernatural work, finks below the level of 

 many' compofitions confefiedly of human original ; and 

 fi.ill lower does it fall in our ellimation, when compared 

 with that pure and perfect pattern which we julliy admire 

 in the fcriptures of truth. It is then abundantly appannL 

 that no miracle either was externally performed for the 

 fupport, or is internally involved in the compofition, of the 

 Maliometan revelation." V>'hite's Sermons, containing a 

 View of Chrillianity and Mahonietanifm, in their hillory, 

 their evidence, and their efFeCls, p. 256-271. Ed. 2. 



The general aim of the Koran was to unite the profelTors 

 of the three different religions, then followed in Arabia, 

 Idolaters, Jews, and Chrillians, in the knowledge and wor- 

 Piip of one God, under the fanftion of certain laws, and 

 the outward figns of ceremonies, partly of ancient, and 

 partly of novel inllitution, enforced by the confidcration of 

 rewards and punifliments, both temporal and eternal ; and 

 to bring all to the obedience of Mahomet, as the prophet 

 and ambaffador of God, who was to ellablilh the true re- 

 ligion on earth, and be acknowledged chief pontiff in fpi- 

 ritual matters as well as fuprcme prince in temporal. The 

 chief point therefore inculcated in the Koran is the unity 

 of God, to rtllore which the prophet pretended was the 

 chief end of his miffion ; it being laid down by him as a 

 fundamental truth, that tlvere nev,er was nor ever can be more 

 than one true orthodox religion. The reft is taken up in 

 prefcribing neceflary laws and direflions, frequent admo- 

 nitions to moral and divine virtues, the worfhip and re- 

 verence of the Supreme Being, and refignation to his will. 

 One of their moll learned commentators didinguidics t!ie 

 contents of the Koran into allegorical and literal ; under tlie 

 former arc comprehended all the obfcuvc, parabolical, and 



inlgmaiical 



