"hometism is a borrowed system, made up for the "most part of Judaism and Christianity; and, if it "be considered in the most favourable view, might "possibly be accounted a sort of Christian heresy. "If the Gospel had never been preached, it may "be questioned whether Mahometism would have "existed."

"The Musselmans are already a sort of heterodox "Christians; they are Christians, if Locke reasons "justly, because they firmly believe the immaculate

conception, divine character, and miracles of the "Messiah: but they are heterodox in denying vehe"mently his character of Son, and his equality, as "God, with the Father, of whose unity and attri"butes they entertain and express the most awful "ideas, while they consider our doctrine as perfect blasphemy, and insist that our copies of the Scrip"tures have been corrupted both by Jews and Chris"tians t."

These are such testimonies as have occurred to me in a no very extensive course of reading. They are derived from authors, who for the most part enjoyed favourable opportunities of examining the Mahometan tenets; and they exhibit that religion as rising upon the basis of true Religion, corrupted, even like the papal, to serve the purposes of a worldly and diabolical tyranny. In the Mahometan religion are these articles, all evidently derived from the Christian, and constituting in it a great superiority above any thing that paganism or mere philosophy have been able to produce: the belief of the existence of one all-wise, all-good, all-powerful God; of the immor

* Dr. Jortin's first Charge.

↑ Sir William Jones, in the Asiatic Discrtations, vol. i. p. 63.

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

L L

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 Egypt, and Africa; which once were Christian; we shall readily admit that, if not a 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.

Dr. Priestley, &c.

† See note, ch. vi. 5.

‡ Sale's Koran, Introduct. Ockley's Hist. of the Saracens, vol. ii. p. 128. Ricaut's Ottoman Empire, 18S. Nieburgh's Travels.

POPERY

POPERY

is a Christian apostacy:" which is ably set forth by Joseph Mede, in his tract on that subject; Works, p. 623.

is one of the powers into which Antichrist is divided, usurping the place and office of

a lamb:

Christ, and pretending has two horns like,
to a vicarial power from
him, and producing out
of its own body media-
tors and intercessors in
opposition to him.

The doctrine of Po-" pery, though it affect to be Christian, is in

which were formerly

in the pale of the Christian Church.

is one of the powers into which Antichrist is divided, usurping the redeeming and mediatorial power of Christ, which is annihilated under this system, or transferred to the usurping false prophet.

persecuted the infant image of the beast, pressive power, perse