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nearly fatal to him.

Univerfal Hiftory, p. 126. But certainly the ufe of wine may not only be innocent, but useful; and therefore it was not forbidden to the Jews or Chriftians, but only temperance recommended with respect to it, as to other things.

4. The religion of Mahomet, as collected from the Koran, has by no means the recommendation of confiftency; and his precepts varied with his circumstances. When any thing perplexed him he always had recourse to a new chapter in the Koran, and this never failed to answer his purpose. Sale's Preliminary Difcourfe, p. 84. Accordingly we find many alterations, and those avowed to be fuch, in the Koran. "Whatever verfe we shall abrogate or caufe thee to forget, we will bring a better than it, or one like it." Koran, Vol. I. p. 21. The paffages in the Koran which were thus abrogated are enumerated by the Mahometan commentators, and divided into three claffes. 1. thofe in which both the letter and the fense are abrogated; 2. thofe in which the letter only is abrogated; and 3. those in which

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which the fenfe is altered, though the letter remains. Univerfal Hiftory, p. 321.

This practice of altering the Koran was an eafy remedy for any inconvenience into which the author of a new religion might bring himself, but it is certainly very liable to fufpicion. The Divine Being may, no doubt, change his pofitive inftitutions, adapting them to new circumftances; but it is more probable that uninfpired men will change theirs, from their not being able to foresee the fituations into which they will be brought. The many changes that Mahomet made in his own life-time has much the appearance of human weakness, and want of forefight. The great distance between Mofes and Jefus makes a cafe very different from this; and yet the apostles and other Jews when they became Chriftians did not lay afide any of the inftitutions of Mofes, any more than Jefus himfelf; who faid that he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it.

5. It will be faid that the religion of Mahomet abounds with aufterities, fuch as

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no man would have devifed with a view to recommend it to general acceptance. But it is to be obferved, that all religions have abounded with aufterities, except the Chrif tian; and the Jewish religion has been greatly misrepresented in this refpect; and thofe aufterities have always tended to recommend those religions. The heathen religions had the most painful and cruel rites. What else were human facrifices, which were universal; the cutting of their flesh in some of their ceremonies, and the burning of widows with their husbands in Indoftan, and the dreadful but voluntary fufferings of their Faquirs! All mankind have thought that they must make some facrifice of their own inclination and pleasure to please their gods, and any kind of facrifice has appeared to them to be preferable to that of their vices. Accordingly we find men fubmitting to the most painful aufterities, and of long continuance, who have discovered no command of their paffions in common life, and who made themselves amends for the pains to which they fometimes fubjected themselves, by the moft exceffive indulgence at other times. There

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There is nothing, therefore, peculiar to Mahometanism in this, or that would, upon the whole, deter a profelyte. The most rigorous of the monaftic orders among Christians have generally been the most in vogue. And with respect to both the Catholics and the Mahometans, fuperftition generally takes the place of moral virtue; more stress being laid upon the former, than the latter.

The Mahometans pray five times a day; but their prayers are very short, and they fast one month in the year; but it is only in the day time; for they may eat after sunset. And that too much account is made of these outward acts may be inferred from the fummaries of their religion, which they say is comprehended under four heads, prayer, alms, fafting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca, Sale's Preliminary Difcourfe, p. 93; all which may be performed without moral virtue. It is alfo evident, from the accounts of all travellers, that the thing on which the Mahometans lay the greatest ftrefs, as of the most confequence to recommend them to the favour of God, is the pilgrimage to Mecca.

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How different is this from the fummary of the religion of Mofes, which our Saviour fays is comprehended in these two precepts; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself, and that this is better than all whole burnt offering and Sacrifice.

If the Mahometans have many reftrictions in fome things, they have few in others, especially with refpect to women, every man being allowed to have four wives, or concubines. Sale's Preliminary Difcourfe, p.: 177. But I think it may be inferred from the Koran, that befides this number of wives, or concubines, the Mahometans are allowed to do what they please with women taken captive in war. "Now are the true believers happy who keep themselves from the carnal knowledge of any woman, except their wives, or the captives which their right hand poffeffes; for as to them they fhall be blamelefs." Koran, Vol. II. p. 178. The law of Mofes has a very different complexion in this refpect. According to this no captive woman could be used

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