tality of the soul; of future rewards and punishments to be distributed by Jesus; of the acceptance of prayer, of self-humiliation, of almsgiving; of the obligation to morality in almost all its branches. Take from Mahometism one article, in which it differs from all religions, generally admitted to be Christian, the belief of Mahomet's divine mission; and little will then be found in it, which may not be discovered in the profession of many acknowledged Christians. Nay, perhaps it may appear, that the creeds of two bodies of Christians will supply every thing which is to be found in Mahometism, excepting belief in the pretended prophet of Mecca. The first article of the Mahometan Creed is the Unity of God." The Christians," said Mahomet, "have fallen into error, corrupting this dogma by "the doctrine of the Trinity; and God, who would "not leave the essential truths without testimony, sent "his Prophet to re-establish them." But the peculiar profession of this unity, together with the persuasion that the doctrine of the Trinity is a corrupt doctrine, is also the corner-stone of the Socinian profession. The agreement in this, is so entire between the Mahometans and Socinians, as to make the passage from either of these religions to the other, far from impracticable or difficult. Witness, on the one hand, the history of conversions from Socinianism to the religion of Mahomet, of Adam Neuser, &c., in the sixteenth century t; and, on the other, the writings of some modern Socinians, who recommend their religion as removing all obstacles to Vide Abulfaragius, apud Pocock, page 30. in notis ad Spec. Hist. Arab. Et Aslscharestanrus, ap. eund. p. 52. 274-292. + Reflections on Mahometism, printed with Reland's Abridgement. the conversion of Mahometans *. Thus, in this distinguishing article of faith, the Unitarian Christians agree with the Mahometans. And in the remaining articles, which separate them from the pure Church, a yoke is imposed †, nearly similar to that which binds the papal church. They are these; excessive and merely oral prayers, fastings, pilgrimages. Whatsoever in Mahometism is excessive and antichristian in respect to these articles, will be found to correspond very nearly with corruptions which prevail in the papal church. External purification, and hypocritical ostentation, supersede, in both these religions, the religion of the heart. Mahometism, as well as Popery, has its purgatory, and its indulgences to be purchased by money ‡ On the whole, when we consider the origin of Mahometism, and its near affinity to corrupted Christianity; when we reflect also on the amazing extent of this superstitious domination, which occupies nearly as large a portion of the globe, as that possessed by Christians; comprising vast regions in ancient Greece and Asia Minor, in Syria, in Persia, in the Indies, in Tartary, in Ægypt, and Africa; which once were Christian; we shall readily admit that, if not à Christian heresy, it is at least a Christian apostacy, and well worthy, from its magnitude, to be accounted one horn or division of empire of the antichristian beast. After these observations, it may be useful to exhibit together, in one point of view, these two horns, and to shew their mutual agreement with the prophecy. + See note, ch. vi. 5. Dr. Priestley, &c. Sale's Koran, Introduct. Ockley's Hist. of the Saracens, vol. ii. p. 128. Ricaut's Ottoman Empire, 188. Nieburgh's Travels. POPERY many respects car "nal, worldly, devil The doctrine of Mahomet, though it assume an heavenly ori "ish ;" and its edicts speaks like a dra- gin, is not heavenly, have been enforced by the sword of the civil power, under the di rection of the ecclesiastical. The object of Popery has been to acquire civil power, which gon: 12 Exerciseth all but "carnal, worldly, "devilish," and has been enforced by the sword. Mahomet made use of ecclesiastical influence to obtain civil power, which he combined with it, and transmitted to his suc cessors. POPERY. image of the ancient Roman tyranny, which MAHOMETISM. Mahomet persuaded men that his Koran was a divine law, brought down from heaven miraculously, and thus he gave a religious sanction to his civil power. Mahomet and his successors have erect ed a civil empire of great extent like the Roman, a cruel op persecuted the infant image of the beast, pressive power, perse Church; but more formidable, because it is believed to have the sanction of Divine appointment. The power in such hands is revered as sacred. The intolerance and persecuting spirit of Popery is notorious. The professors of other religions have been murdered by millions. And the Christian world was for ages compelled to receive the mark and naine. to which he gives life and speech: cuting true Religion, and by an apparent sanction from heaven. Their numerous subjects revere their government as sacred. The intolerance and persecuting spirit of the Mahometans, by which they have denied, to all but Musselmans, the common privileges, is well authenticated in history, as are the grievous sufferings of the Christians under their sway.. Such is the agreement between Popery and Mahometism; and so exactly do they both fulfil the prophecy of the second apocalyptic beast. But still, there is a great and these two apostacies. acknowledge Christ as remarkable difference between The Mahometan, though it a Prophet, divinely born and commissioned, and as such expects him to return again before the end of the world; seems practically to forget him, and to be as it were lost to his name; dead to the life which is in Christ. The papal apostacy, though in works it deny Christ, and in many instances has so corrupted his holy Religion, that it can scarcely be known as such; yet in name acknowledges him as supreme Lord, and calls itself exclusively the Christian, the Catholic, or universal Church. This difference seems to supply us with the reason, why these two branches of Antichrist, when they come to be treated separately and particularly in the visions of the Apocalypse, are exhibited in a manner so different. The Mahometan branch, having sprung up rapidly into power; having by open force, as well as art, possessed itself suddenly of empire, and continued in the possession of it many ages, apart from the professed Christian Church; so its rise and extension, and all their effects, are represented at once under the sixth Trumpet; and are not often noted afterwards, excepting in this its conjunction with the papal horn. But the papal branch required a more particular description. It grew up gradually and covertly; stole silently into power, and without much conflict. To the pure and reformed Church, (which is to win her way to victory in т pie, out of the body of the beast in which she is enveloped,) this branch is to be exhibited specially in all its as sumed |