by him, (a) to have had no Father among Men. Mahomet is acknowledged, by his own Disciples, (b) to have been begotten according to the common Course of Nature. Jesus led an innocent Life; against which no Objection can be made. Mahomet (c) was a long Time a Robber, (d). and always effeminate. (e) Jesus was taken up into Heaven, by the Confession of Mahomet; but Mahomet remains in the Grave. And now can any one doubt which to follow?

SECT. V.

And the Works of each of them.

LET us now proceed to the Works of each of them. (f) Jesus gave sight to the Blind, made the Lame to walk, and recovered the Sick; nay, as Mahomet confesses, he restored the Dead to Life: Mahomet says, (g) that he himself was not sent with Miracles, but with Arms; however, there were some afterwards, who ascribed Miracles to

(a) To have had no Father amongst Men, &c.] Ázoara XXXI. (b) To have been begotten, &c.] See the Book of Mahomet's Generation.

(c) Was a long Time a Robber, &c.] See Mahomet's Chronicon, translated out of Arabic. See a Dispute betwixt a Saracen and a Christian, published by Peter, Abbot of Clugny.

(d) And always effeminate, &c.] Azoara XLII. XLIII. LXXV. and LXXVI. See the forementioned Disputation. (e) Jesus was taken up into Heaven, &c.] Azoara XI.

(f) Jesus gave Sight to the Blind, &c.] Azoara V. XII. (g) That he himself was not sent with Miracles, &c.] Azoara III. XIV. XVII. XXX. LXXXI. Concerning this Matter, see the Life of Mahomet, published in English, by the learned Dr. Prideaux, P. 30. where he shews at large, that the false Prophet dared not boast of any Miracles. Le Clerc.

him but what were they? None but such as might easily be the Effects of human Art? as that of the Dove flying to his Ear; or such as had no Witnesses, as that of the Camel's speaking to him by Night; or else such as are confuted by their own Absurdity; (a) as that of a great Piece of the Moon falling into his Sleeve, and sent back again by him, to make the Planet round. Who is there that will not say, but that in a doubtful Cause, we are to stick to that Law, which has on its Side the most certain Testimony of the Divine Approbation? Let us also examine them, who first embraced each of these Laws.

SECT VI.

And of those who first embraced each of these Religions.

THEY, who embraced the Law of Christ, were Men who feared God, and led innocent Lives; and it is not reasonable that God should suffer such Persons to be deceived with cunning Words, or with a Shew of Miracles. (b) But they who first embraced

(a) As that of a great Piece of the Moon, &c.] Azoara, LXIV. See this Fable more at large, in the Chapter Ceramuz, in Cantacuzenus's Oration against Mahomet, Sect. 23.

(b) But they who first embraced Mahometanism, &c.] This the Word Saracen shews, which signifies Robber. See Scaliger's Emendation of the Times, Book III. Chap. of the Arabian Period. The first Followers of Mahomet were indeed truly Robbers; but the Arabian Word, to which Scaliger refers, signifies to steal privately, not to rob; nor is it credible-that they would take upon themselves such an infamous Name; not to mention that this was more ancient than Mahomet, for we find it in Ptolemy and Philostorgius; wherefore I rather follow the Opinion of those who deduce the Name of Saracen from the Word paw Schark, which signifies Eastern, whence comes up Sharkiin, Saracens, or People dwelling in the East, as the Arabians are called in Scripture. About which see EdT ward

embraced Mahometanism, were Robbers, and Men void of Humanity and Piety.

SECT. VII.

And of the Methods by which each Law was propagated.

NEXT let us see the Methods by which each Religion was propagated. As for the Christian Religion, we have already said several Times, that its Increase was owing to the Miracles not only of Christ, but of his Disciples and their Successors; and also to their patiently enduring of Hardships and Torments. But the Teachers of Mahometanism did not Work any Miracles, did not endure any grievous Troubles, nor any severe Kinds of Death for that Profession. (a) But that Religion follows where Arms lead the Way, it is the Companion of Arms; (b) nor do its Teachers bring any other Arguments for it, but the Success of War, and the Greatness of its Power; than which nothing is more fallacious. They themselves condemn the Pagan Rites, and yet we know how great the Victories of the Persians, Macedonians, and Romans were, and how far their Enemies extended themselves. Neither was the Event of War always prosperous to the Mahometans; (c) there are remarkable Slaughters which they have received

ward Pocock on the Specimen of the History of the Arabians in the Beginning. Le Clerc.

(a) But that Religion follows where Arms lead the Way, &c.] Azoara, X. XVIII. XXVI.

(b) Nor do its Teachers bring any other Arguments, &c.] Azoara, XXXIII. XLVII.

(c) There are remarkable Slaughters, &c.] And greater since the Time of Grotius. For they were driven, after many

Slaughters,

received in very many Places, both by Land and Sea. They are driven out of all Spain. That Thing cannot be a certain Mark of true Religion, which has such uncertain Turns, and which may be common both to good and bad: And so much the less, because their Arms were unjust, (a) and often taken up against a People who no Ways disturbed. them, nor were distinguished for any Injury they had done; so that they could have no Pretence for their Arms, but Religion, which is the most profane Thing that can be; (b) for there is no Worship of God, but such as proceeds from a willing Mind. Now the Will is inclined only by Instruction and Persuasion, not by Threats and Force. He that is compelled to believe a Thing, does not believe it; but only pretends to believe it, that he may avoid some Evil. He that would extort Assent, from a Sense of Evil or from Fear, shews by that very Thing, that he distrusts Arguments. And again, they themselves destroy this very Pretence of Religion, when they suffer those

Slaughters, from the Austrian Dominions, from Hungary, Transylvania, and Peloponnesus, not many Years since. And since that Time the Turkish Empire seems to decrease. In the Year 1715, after these short Notes were first published, the Turks recovered the Morea, which was poorly defended by the Venetian Governors; but in the following Year, 1716, when they attempted to invade Ilungary and the Island of Corsica, they were, first, overthrown in a great Fight by the Germans under the Command of Prince Eugene of Savoy, and lost Temeswaer, which was forced to yield after a stout Siege; then being repulsed by the Valour of Count Schulembourg, not without Loss, they retired to their Fleet. While I was writing this, April 1717, they threatened they would attempt the same again with new Forces, but the Germans did not seem to be much affected with it. Le Clerc.

(a) And often taken up against a People, &c.] Azoara, XIX. (b) For there is no Worship of God, &c.] Lactantius, Book X. Chap. 20. "For there is nothing so voluntary as Religion: "In which if the Mind of the Sacrificer goes contrary, it is "taken away; there remains none." T 2

who

who are reduced to their Obedience, to be of what Religion they please; nay, (a) and sometimes they openly acknowledge, that Christians may be saved by their own Law.

SECT. VIII.

And of their Precepts compared with one another. LET us also compare their Precepts together. The one commands Patience, nay, Kindness, towards those who wish ill to us: The other Revenge. The one commands that the Bonds of Matrimony should be perpetual, that they should bear with each other's Behaviour; (b) the other gives a Liberty of separating: Here the Husband does the same himself, which he requires of his Wife; and shews by his own Example, that Love is to be fixed on one. (c) There, Women upon Women are allowed, as being always new Incitements to Lust. Here, Religion is reduced inwardly to the Mind; that being well cultivated there, it may bring forth Fruits profitable to Mankind; there, almost the whole Force of it is spent (d) in Circumcision, (e) and Things indifferent in themselves. Here, a moderate Use of Wine and Meat is allowed: (f) There the eating Swine's Flesh,

(a) And sometimes they openly acknowledge, &c.] Azoara, I. and XII. The Book of the Doctrine of Mahomet; see Enthymius.

(b) The other gives a Liberty of separating, &c.] See Enthymius and others who have wrote of the Turkish Affairs.

(c) There, Women upon Women, &c.] Azoara, III. VIII. IX. XXX. LII.

(d) In Circumcision, &c.] See also Bartholomew Georgivitius of the Rites of the Turks.

(e) And Things indifferent in themselves, &c.] As Washings, Azoura, IX. See also Enthymius.

(f) There the eating Swine's Flesh, &c.] Azoara, II. XXVI.

and