of his Difciples only, upon the Account of their great Honefty; in the fame Manner, as tlie Jews believe Mofes^ without any other Witnefs in thofe \ or: Things {a) But 'what ive are com- {c) Js inferior to himfelf jkt'^ fnanded^kc.'] The very learned And received the Ty the of hirn Rabbi Saadia explains thefe by a Sacerdotal Right, Gen» Places, and Zachariah IX. 9. XIV. 19, 20.
of the Mediah [d) A Scepter'' s coming oat of {b) As David Kimchi, &c ] Sion, &c.] Pfalm CX. 2^ This fame lid Pfalm is ex- [e] Ai is clear from thofe pounded of the Meffiah. by A- Pi'.ues, &c.] As GenefsXhlX, braharn Efdras, and R. JanU' vo. and thofe before cited oat than in Bereftth Rabba. gf the Prophets, 62 26o Of the Truth of Book V.
Things which he fays were delivered to him from God. (a) But there are very many and very ftrong Arguments befides this, of that exceeding Power which we affirm Jefus to have obtained. He him- felf was feen by many after he was reftored to Life: He was feen to be taken up into Heaven: Moreover Devils were caftout, and Difeafes healed, by his Name only; and the Gift of Tongues was given to hisDifciples •, which Things Jefus himfelf promifed, as Signs of his Kingdom. Add to this, that his Scepter, that is, the Word of the Gofpel, came out of Sion^ and, without any human AfTift- ance, extended itfeif to the utmoft Limits of the Earth, by theDivine Power alone; andmadeNations and Kings fubjed: unto it, as the Pfalms exprcfsly foretold. The Cabaiiflical Jews {b) made the Son of Enoch a certain Middle Perfon betwixt God and Men, who had no Token of any fuch great Power. How much more reafonable then is it, for us to do it to him, who gave us fuch Inftrudiions ^. Neither does this at all tend to the lelTening of God the Father, (c) from whom this Power of Jefus was derived, derived, {a) But there are very man)\ &c ] The Name which the &c 3 See them handled before Hebre^dos give him, is, "^iltOI^/O in the Second Book; and what Metator. So the Latins czW IS faid in the Beginning of this him, who prepares the Way Book. for the Kmg. Thus Lucan, {t) Made the Son o/' Enoch, j^i Barhinger, to the Hefperian fields, 1 boldly come.
Vegetius.l^Qok \l fays. They rather call it A;V/«/ron iTlDICD were called Meiotores, Harbin- concerning which lee "John gers in the Camps ^ <^'jho ivent Buxtorfs Chaldee and Rabbibejore and chojc a Place fit for cal Lexicon.) the Camp. And thus Shidas: {c)Ft07n 'whom this Poxver, MzlctTM^f.^Harbinger, is a Sec] As himielf confefles, Mejfcvger, i>:ho is Jent before John V. 19,30,36,43. VJ.
Sed. 22,23. ^^'^^ Chrijlian Religion, 261 derived, {a) and to whom it will return, {!?) and whofe Honour it ferves.
Sect. XXIII. 'The Conclufion of this Part^ with a Prayer for the Jews.
It is not the Defign of thisTreatife, to examine more nicely into thele Things; nor had we treated of them at all, but to make it appear, that there is nothing in the Chriftian Religion, either impious or abfurd, which any Man can pretend againib em- bracing a Religion recommended by fo great Miracles, whofe Precepts are fo virtuous, and whofe Promifes are fo excellent. For he who has once embraced it, ought to confult thofe Books, which we have before fhewn to contain the Docflrines of the Chriftian Religion, for particular Qiieftions. V/hich that it may be done, let us befeech God, that he would enlighten the Minds of the Jews with his own Light, and render thofe Prayers ef- fedtual, (c) which Chrift put up for them, when he hung upon the Crofs.
XX. 2 1. And the Apoftle to {a) And to ijohotn it ivill re- turn, &c.] As the Apoftle confefles, i Cor. XV. 24.
[b) And nxihoje Honour it Jerques y &c.] John XIII. 31.
Therefore the Talmud, entf- tled. Concerning the Council, denies Jefus to be the Name of an Idol 'y feeing the Chriftians in honouring him have a Re- gard to God the Maker of the World [c] Which Chrift put up for them,$cQ,] Luke XXII I. 34.
BOOK BOOK VI the INSTEAD of a Preface to this Sixth Book, which is defigned agoinft the Mahometans •, \t relates the Judgments of God againil the Chriftians, down to the Original of Mahome- tanifm •, namely, {a) how that fincere and unfeign- ed Piety, which flourifhed amongft the Chriftians, who were moft grievoufly affiided and tormented; began by Degrees to abate; after Conjlantine and the following Emperors had made the Profefiion of the Chriftian Religion, not only fafe but honour- able; but having as it were {h) thruft the World into the Church, firft, (c) the Chriftian Princes waged waged (rt) Ho'w that Jinc ere and un- feigned Piety ^ &c.j Ste Jm^ni- finus Mai celliniisy at the End of the Twentylirll Book k.qx\- ctxmTigConJiantius: '* And a- *• bove all, he wa& very ready *' to take away what he had '• given; confounding theChri- ** ftian Religion, which is per- " fe6l and fincere, with old *' Wives Fables -, by more in- *• tricately fearching into ** which, rather than feriouily •* fettling them, he caufed a f* great many Differences; •* which fpreading further, he ** kept up by quarrelling a- ** bout Words; that the Body *' of Prelates, who were the I* j)ublickPack-horiJes, running " here and there in Synods, ** as they call them, might *• cut the Nerves of their ** Carriage; by endeavouring " to make cvtry Rite con- *' formable to their own Opi- '* nion."
[b] ThruJ} the U-^orld into the Church, &c.] See what is < xcellently faid about this, in Chryfojiom's fecoiid Moral Dif- courfe, on the XlJth Chapter of the 2 Cor. after ^ver. i o.
(c) The Chriftian Princes ivagedJVar, Sec ] It is a com- mendable Saying oiMarcian in ZonaraSy That a King ought not to take up Arms. Jo long as he t,^/r maintain Peace, Seft. I. the Chrijiimi Religion. 263 waged War without Meafure, even when they might have enjoyed Peace, {a) The Bifliops quar- relled (a) The Bijhopi quarrelled ivith each other^ &C.J Ammi- anus. Book XXVII. " The " cruel Seditions of the quar- ** relfome People, which gave •• Rife to this Bafinefs, fright- ** ed this iVIan alfo {l^iventiust *' chief Commiflioner of the *' Palace ) Damafus and Urfici- ** nusy being above all reafona- *' ble Meafure, defirous of fei- •*' zing the Epifcopal Chair, ** contended with each other *' moll vehemently by different *' Interefts; their Accomplices ** on eachSidecarryingon their '* Differences as far as Death ** and Wounds; which Vinjen- ** tiuf not being able to correct •' or foften, being compelled by ^* a great Force, retired into *' the Suburbs; and Damafus *' overcame in the Contcft, the *' Party which favoured him, *' preffing hard. And it is evi- ** dent, that in the Palace of " of Sicininus^ where the Af- ** femblies of the Chriftians u- " fed to be, there were found " the dead Bodies of one hun- " dred thirty feven, ilain in *' one Day; and it was a long *' time before the enraged com- ** mon People could be appeaf- *' ed. Nor do I deny, when I " confider the City's Pomp, *' but that they who are defi- ** rous of fuch things, may law- ** fully contend, by Ilretching " their Lungs to the utmoft, in ** ordertoobtainwhat they aim ** at: Becaufe when they are *' arrived at it, they will be fo ** fecure, that they may enrich *• themfelves with the Gifts of *' Matrons, may fit and ride in *' their Chariots, be neatly ** dfeffed, have large Feafts *• provided, infomuchthattheir *' Banquets will exceed the *' Royal Tables; but fuch Per- ** fons might have been more " truly happy, if they had de- *• fpifed the Grandeur of the •* City, which flattered their ** Vices; and had lived after •* the Manner of fome of the *• Provincial Biftiops; whofe *♦ Sparingnefs in Eating and *' Drinking moderately, and ** Meanneis in Clothes, and ** Eyes fixed on the Ground *' continually,recommendthem ** as pure and modefl to the *' Deity, and to thofe that ** worfhiphim.'* And a little after; *' The chief Jullice, •* whilft he takes care of the ♦' Government in a higher " Degree; amongft other •' things, by manifold Ads of '* Integrity and Goodnefs, *' for which he has been fa- ** mous from the Beginning of ** his Youth, has obtained that *♦ which feldom happens; that «♦ at the fame time that he is *' feared, he does not lofe the ** Love of his Subjects; which *' is feldom very llrong to- *' wards thofe Judges they are ** afraid of. By whofe Au- ** thority and jult Determina- «' tions of Truth, the,^Tu- 264 Of the Truth of Book VI.
relied with each other moft bitterly, about the higheft Places: And, as of old, the [a) preferring the Tree of Knowledge to the Tree of Tife, was the Occafion of the greateft Evils; fo then nice Enquiries were efteemed more than Piety, (b) and Religion Religion "malt, raifed by the Quarrels •• of the Chriftians, was ap- " peafed; and Urjiiinus being •* driven away, the Roman '* Subje6>s grew into a fiim *' Peace jointly, and with one ** Mind; which is the Glory •'of an eminent Ruler, regu- •'lating many and advaa- •* tagcoiJs things," This was that chief Juliice of whom yerom tells a Story, not un- worthy to be mentioned here; to Vammachius, againfl the Er- rors of yohn of 'Jeriifalem. ** The chief Juflice, that died ** when he was defigned for "* Conful, ufed to fay jeftingly *' to the ho!y Pope Damafus; " Make me Biihop of the City *' of Rome, and I will be a ■'* Chrlftianimmediattly." S.-re alfo what the fame Ammimms fays, Book XV. The African Council did not without Rea- fon admonilh the Bifhop of the City of R.Qme thus: *' That •* we may not feem to bring '' the vain Arrogance of the •* Age, into the Church of '• Chrift, which affords the *^* Lighty of Simplicity, and the ** Day of Humility, to them ^* who defire to fee God " To which we may add, the noble F^piftles of the Roman Bifliop Gregory, truly ftiled the Book VI. 30. Book VJI. Indi£l. I. Epift. 30.
(a J Preferring the Tree of Kno~.jledge, &c.] Gsncfis 11. and III.
( h ) And Religion 'ivas made an Art, &c.] See uhat w?s before quoted out of the 2 ill Book q{ A?nmianm. 1 he fame Hiftorian, Book XXII I. in the HiRory o^ Julian, ftys, *' And "' that his Difpofiticn of things *• might produce a more cer- " tain Effect, having admi'.ted •* the difagreeing Prelates of *' the Chriftians, together with *' the divided Multitude, into ** Palace; headmiOnifiied them '* that every one, laying afide '* their civil Difcords, fnould ** apply himfelf without Fear '* to his Religion; which he *' urged the moreearnel^ly, be- " caule Liberty is apt to in- ** creafe Diflenfions; that he *' might have the lefs reafon to \ ** fear the common People, ** when they were all of one ** Mind, knowing that no ** Beads are fo mifchievous ** to Mankind, as very many ** of the Chriftians were, ** who were fo outrageous a- " gainft one another." See alfo Procopiusy in the Ift of lii^ Gothicks, to be read with fome Abatement here, as in other Places. " Embafladors " came from Bjzantium, to ** the Seft. I. the Chrijiiaii Religion, 265 Religion was made an Art. The Confequence of which was, that after the Example of them (a) who built the Tower of BaheU their rafhly afeding Jvlatters, produced different Languages and Con- fufion above them; which the common People tak- ing notice of, many times not knowing which way to turn themfelves, caft all the Blame upon the Sa- cred Writings, and began to avoid them, as if they were infeded. And Religion began every where to " the Bifhop of Rof;.'e. viz. Hy- ** pah us Bifhop o^Epbe/us, and *' lippi in Macedonia, concern- ** ing an Opinion, which was ** controverted amongft the ^* Chriftians; though I know *' what Oppofition they made, *' yet I am very unwilling to ** relate it. For I think it the «^ maddeft Folly, to fearch *' nicely into the Nature of *' God, and wherein it con- *' fills. For, as I conceive, ** Man cannot fully compre- ** hend human things, much *' lefs thofe that appertain to *' the Divine Nature. [ may *' therefore fecurely pafs by ** thefe things in Silence, and ** and not difturb what they ** reverence. As for myfelf, I *' can fay nothing more of *' God, but that he is every ** way good, and upholds all ** things by his Power i he that *' knows mere, whetlusr he be ^' a Prieft, or one of the com- •* jnon People, let him fpeak *' it." Gregorasy Book XII.
cites the Saying of Lyjis the Pythagorean, and afterwards of Syvejius'y TkattaikingPhilofophy among the Vulgar, nvas the Caufe of Mens fo much contemning di- 'vine things. So alfo Book the Xth, he much diiTuades Men from fuch Difputes j and fpeak- ing of the Latins of his time, he fays, " I blame and con- *' demn the Italians highly, *' becaufe they run into divine ** Matters with great Arro- *' gance " Afterwards he adds: " Amongrt them, the Mecha- *' nicks utter the Myfteries of ** Divinity, and they are all *' as eager of reafoning Syllo- *' giftically, as the Cattle are *' of Food and Grafs. Both *• they who doubt of what " they ought to believe right- ** ly, and they who know not ** what they ought to believe, ** nor what they fay they be- " lieve; thefe fill all the Thca- ** tres,f<3r//z;?j, and Walks, with *' their Divinity, and are not ** alhamed to make the Sun a *' Witnefs of their Impudence '* (a) Who built the Tower of Babel, &c.] Gen. XI. Ma- homet often reproaches thefe Controverfies of the Chriftians, particularly in //2;c7flr<r,XXVl. XXXII.
266 Of the Triith of Book VL to be placed, not in Purity of Mind, but in Rites, as if Judaifm were brought back again; and in thofe things, which contained in them {a) more of bodily Exercife, than Improvement of the Mind; and alfo in a violent adhering to {b) the Party they had chofen; the final Event of which was, that there were every where a great many {c) Chriftians in Name, but very few in Reality. God did not overk)ok thefe Faults of his Peo- ple •, but from the furtheft Corners (d) of Scythia, (e) and Germayty', poured vafl: Armies, like a De- luge upon the Chriftian World: And when the great Slaughter made by thefe, did not fuffice to reform thofe which remained; by the juft Permif- fion of God, (f) Mahomet planted in Arabia d- nevs^ Religion, dired;ly oppofite to the Chriftian Religion -, yet fuch as did in a good Meafure ex- prefs in Words, the Life of a great Part of the Chriftians. This Religion was firft embraced by the Saracens^ who revolted from the Emperor He^ radius ], whofe Arms quickly fubdued Arabia^ Sy- riay PaUJlifje, Egypt, Fer/ia-, and afterwards they invaded Africa^ and came over Sea into Spain. Rui[ JChe Power of the Saracens was derived to 'Ji\\:^i. others, {a) More of bodily Exercife^ {d)Of Scythia, &c.] Hunns, 23. lites and Turks.
J 2. and following Verfes. Burgundians, S^.vedes Almaim, cerning the Government of bia, &c ] Dr t'}-ideaux''s Life God. ** Excepting a very few of Mahomet wrote in Englijh, *' who avoid Wickednefs, what is very well worth reading, ♦* elfe is the whole Body of publifhed at Londony Anno " Chriftians, but a Sink of 1697. Le Clerc, *' Vice?"
others, (a) particularly to the Turks, a very war- like People; who after many long Engagements with the Sarac^nSy being defired to enter into a League, they eafily embraced a Religion agree- able to their Manners, and transferred the Impe- rial Power to themfelves. Having taken the Cities of 4/ia and Greece^ and the Succefs of their Arms increafing, they came into the Borders oi Hungary and Germany, Sect. II The Mahometans Foundation overturned^ in that they do not examine into Religion, This Religion, which was plainly calculated for Bloodfhed, delights much in Ceremonies •, {k) and would be believed, without allowing Li- berty to enquire into it: For which Reafon the Vulgar are prohibited reading thofe Books which they account facred; which is a manifeft Sign of their Iniquity. For thofe Goods may juftly be fufpe61:ed, which are impofed upon us with this Condition, that they muft not be looked into. It is true indeed, all Men have not like Capacities for underftanding every thing; many are drawn into Error by Pride, others by Paflion, and fome by Cuftom: {c) But the Divine Goodnefs will not allow {a) Particularly to theTMrks, Works of Jujiin. ** That it &c.] See Leunc/awus''s Hiflory *' is impoflible for him not to of Turkey, and Laonicus Chal- ** find the Truth, who feek« cocondilas. •* it with all his Heart and {h) And ixjould be belienjed, " Power; this our Lord tefti- &c.] See the Alcoran A'zoara ** fies, when he fays; he that XIII. according to the firft ** alks receives, he that feeks Latin Edition, which for the " (hall find, and to him that Reader's fake, we here follow. ** knocks it (hall be opened."
(c) But the Di'vine Goodnefi And Origen in his Xllfth nuill not allo-M us, &c.] See Book againft Celfus. ** He the Anfwcr to the Orthodox, " ought to confider, that he Queftion the IVth, among the " who fees and hears all things, " the 25S Of the Truth of Book VI.
allow us to believe, that the way to eternal Salva- tion cannot be known by thofe, who feek it, with- out any Regard to Profit or Honour j fubmitting themfelves, and all that belong to them, to God *, and begging AfTiftance from him. And indeed, fince God has planted in the Mind of Man a Power of judging; no Part of Truth is more •worthy to employ it about, than that which they cannot be ignorant of, without being in danger of mifling eternal Salvapon.
S E.c T.. III. Jl Proof againft the Mahometans, take?i , put of the facred Books of the Hebrews andO'tin- :.ftians; and that 'They are not corrupted, MAHOMET and his Followers confefs, (a) that both Mofes {b) and Jefus were fent by God; and that they who firft propagated the Inftitution of JefuSv'" (c) were holy Men. (d) But there are many things related in the Alcoran^ which is the Law of Mahomet^ directly contrary to what is delivered by Mdfess and the Difciples of Jefus. To inflance in one Example out of many. All the Apoftles and *-* ker of the Univerfe, judges J-zoara X\. and many other •* accvording to Mens Defercs, things of Abraham, Jzoara <• of the Difppfjtion of every XXXI. A confufed Hiilory *' one that feeks him, and is of Gideon and Saul, Jz,oa-/a, " willing to worfhip him; and HI. Many things in the Hi- *' he will render to every one ftory of £aWw, /^jr(?^7<?XVH.
*' of thefe, the Fruit of his XXX, and XXXVJH. Many "Piety."" things in the Hiilory of ^(7- [a] That both Mofes, Scc.^ Jefoy A-z-oara XU. concerning Azcara'K'. XXI. the Birds cut in Pieces by ^^r<2- {b) Jnd Jefuiikc.'^ Axoara ham, and called to Life again, V. VH. ^Ko^r(3: IV. concerning 7v7^7ry's U) Wtre holy Meriy &c.] being brought up with Z^*:/'^?- Jzoara V. LXXI. riah, A^aora \'. concerning [d] But there are many things the Birds made of Clay by jerelated^ &c.] As the Temple fus. Ibid, and XIII.
Seft. 3. the Chrljlian ReIigio?i. 269 Difciples of Jefus, entirely agree in this Teftiinony, that Jefus died upon tlie Crofs, returned to Life upon the third Day, and was fcen of many: On the contrary, Mahomet fays, (a) that 7^/«j was pri- vately taken up into Heaven; and that a certain Refemblance of him, was fixed to the Crofs; and confequently Jefus was not dead, but the Eyes of the Jews were deceived. This Objedtion cannot be evaded, unlefs Mahomet will fay, as indeed he does, {bi that the Books both oi Mofes^ and of the Difciples of Jefus, have not contmued as they were, but are corrupted % but this Fidiion we have already confuted in the third Book. Certainly, if any one fhould fay, that the Alcoran is corrupted, the Mahometans would deny it, and fay, that that was a fuHkient Anfwer to a 1 hing which was not proved. But they cannot eafily bring fuch Ar- guments for the Uncorruptednefs of their Book, as we bring for ours, 'viz. that Copies of them were immediately difperfed all over the Work] •, and that not like the Alcoran in one Lano-uase only ^ and were faithfully preferved, by fo many 'S^tdi^^ who differed fo much in other things. The Mahometans perfuade themfelves, that in theXIVth Chapter of St John^ which fpeaks of fending the Comforter, there was fomething written of Ma- hornet^ which the Chriftians have put out: But here we may afk them •, do they fuppofe this Al- teration of the Scripture, to have been made af-» ter the coming of Mahonet^ or before? It is plain- ly impoffible to have been done after the coming of Mahomet^ becaufe at that time there were extant, all over the World, very many Copies, not ooJy Creaky [a] That Jefus nvas privately (b) That the Pocks lo h J taken up into IltaveMj &C.J IVIoies, &c.] /tzQc ra IX. ^'zoara XI.
270 Of the Truth of Book Vl.
Greeks but Syriac^ Arabic^ and in Places diftant from Arabia \ JEthiopic and Latin^ of more Verfions than one. Before the coming of Mahomet^ there was no Reafon for fuch a Change; for no Body ^ could know what Mahomet would teach: Further, if the Dodrine of Mahomet had nothing in it con- trary to the Dodlrine of Jefus, the Chriftians would as eafily have received his Books, as they did the Books of Mofes and the Hebrew Prophets. Let us fuppofe on each Side, that there was nothing writ- ten either of the Doftrine of Jefus, or of that of Mahomet •, Equity will tell us, that that is to be eileemed the Doftrine of Jefus, in which all Chri- ftians agree; and that the Dodrine of Mahomet^ in which all Mahometans agree.
Sect. IV. From comparing Mahomet with Chrift.
L E T us now compare the Adjun6ls and Cir- cumftances of each Dodrine together, that we may lee, which is to be preferred to the other: And firft let us examine their Authors. Mahomet him- felf confefled {a) that Jefus was the Mefliah, pro- mifed in the I.aw and the Prophets; he is called by Mahomet himfelf {b) the Word, {€) Mind and {d) Wifdom of God; he is alfo faid by him, {e) to have had no Father amongfl Men. Mahomet is acknowledged, by his own Difciples, (f) to have been begotten according to the common Courfe Qf [a) That Jefus nvas the Mef- XI. XXIX. and in the fore- ftah, &c.] Jzoara, XXIX. mentioned Book.
[b) The Word, &€.] A'zoara {d\ Jnd IVifdom, &c.] Ixi Y, and XI. and in the Book of the forecited Places. Mahomet''s Doftrine: Euthy- (e) To have had no Father mius Zigabenusy in his Difputa- amongji Men, &c.] Azoara tions againll the Sarr.cens, fays, XXXl.
that Jefusis called by M^^ow^/, (f) To.ha've been begotten, phe H^ord and Spirit of God. &C.J See the Book of iW^- [c) Mind, &c.] Azoara IV. homet\ Generation.
of Nature. Jefus led an innocent Life; ao-ainft which no Objedlion can be made. Mahomet (a) was a long time a Robber, {b) and always effeminate. {c) Jcfus was taken up into Heaven, by the Con- feflion of Mahomet; but Mahomet remains in the Grave. And now can any one doubt which to follow?
Sect. V. Jnd the Works of each of them.
L E T us now proceed to the Works of each of them, {d) Jefus gave Sight to the Bhnd, made the Lame to walk, and recovered the Sick; nay, as Mahomet confefTes, he reftored the Dead to Life. Mahomet fays; (e) that he himfelf was not fent with Miracles, but with Arms; however there were fome afterwards, who afcribed Miracles to him, but what were they? None but fuch as might eafily be the Effedls of human Art -, as that of the Dove flying to his Ear -, or fuch as had no WitnefTes, as that of the Camels fpealcing to him by Night; or elfe fuch as are confuted by their own Abfurdity •, (f) as that of a great Piece of the Moon falHng into his Sleeve, and fent back again by by [a) Was a long time a Rob- nvith 'Miracles, Sec. l^Azoar^Wl.
her, &c.] See MahQmet\ Q\iXO- XIV XVil. XXX. LXXXf.
nicon, tranilated out of Ara- CoiKerning this Matter, fee bick. See the Difpute betwixt theLife of Ma>^0A7iY, pablifhed 2L^aracemx\Az.ChriJlian,f^\x\)' m Englijh by the learned Dr W^cAhy Peter, /Ibbot of Chigny. Prideaux, p. 30. where he (a) And ahvays ej'efninafey fliows at large; that the falfe &c.] A%oara XLIl, XLIIl, Prophet, dared not boall of LXXV, and LXXVI See the any Miracles. Le Oe^c. forementioned Difputation. ' (f) Js that ofagrec.t Piece.
{c) Jefus nvas taken up into of the Mcon, &C ] A^oa}a Heanjen, &c.] AzoaraXi. LXIV. See this Fable more at {d) Jefus ga'ue Sight tc the l.".rge. in the Chapter Or^v^cz/as, ^e)That he himfelf iMas not feKt g^iir.d Mahomet, Sect. 23.
272 Of the Truth of Book VL by him, to make the iWanet round. Who is there that will not fay, but that in a doubtful Caufe, we are to ilick to that Law, which has on its Side the moft certain Tefliimony of the Divine Approba- tion? Let us alfo examine Them, who firft embraced each of thefe Laws.
Sect. VI. And of thofe who firft embraced each of thefe Religions.
They who embrac'd the Law of Chrift, were Men who feared God, and led innocent Lives; and it is not reafonable, that God fhould fuffer fuch Perfons to be deceived with cunning Words, or with a Shew of Miracles, {a) But they who firft embraced Mahometanifm^ were Robbers, and Men void of Humanity and Piety.
Sect. VII. And of the Methods by which each Law was propagated.
Next let us fee the Method by which each Religion was propagated. As for theChriftian Reli- gion; we have already faid feveral Times, that its Increafe was owing to the Miracles not only of Chrift, {a) Bnt they ivho firji em- for we find it in Ptolemv and Thhthe Word Scrracen (hows, ther follow the Opinion of whkh {igm^c?.Ro6hfr. SeeSca- thofe who deduce the Name //^<?^'sEmeudatlonorthc times, Sarac'ft from the Word p""-!!', Book [If. Ch. of thQ Jral/ian Schark^ which fignifies Eaft- Period. (The firil Followers em, whence comes V*P"l"^'> of M<2/5'£'7/;f/, were indeed truly Sharklin, Saracens, 01 People Robbers; but the Arabian dvuelling in the Ea/}, as the Word to which 5<r«//j5^;' refers, Arabians are called in Scrip-