made more distinctly to conceive, and more readily to embrace, the argument from prophecy, in all its nice dependencies, and gradual evolutions. Among them we are not to contend with the boisterous tempers and stubborn habits which characterize the human species in a state of barbarism: we should find them already a race of men and citizens, who, by an easy transition, might pass to a full belief of the doctrines of Christianity.* For the propagation of the Gospel in the East many inducements and advantages are held out to us, which the savage condition of the Indians of America does not afford. The Mahometans are an immense body of men, natives of populous and mighty empires, greatly exceeding in population the kingdoms of Christendom,

D'Herbelot remarks) pendant qu'ils doutent des miracles de leur prétendu prophete, croyent, sans exception, ceux de Moyse, et avouent ceux de Jesus Christ, &c." Bibliothèque Orientale, Titre Aia't.

* Illud viri docti, et orientalibus itineribus clari, non semel testati sunt, seriam aliquando pro Muhammedanorum convictione curam, non fore inanem." Hottinger, Bibliotheca Theologica, lib. iii. cap. ii. p. 389.

In all efforts for the conversion of the Mahometans, Mr. Sale recommends the adoption of the rules, which Bishop Kidder has prescribed for the conversion of the Jews. See his very judicious remarks, Preliminary Discourse, pp. iv.—vi. It would be a result entirely consonant with the principle of the present work, if both branches of the Abrahamic stock should be thus eventually conducted, by one and the same process, into the fold of Christ.

and almost entirely occupying one quarter of the habitable globe. They are the subjects of regulated states; they are the observers of established laws; civilized by the intercourse of agriculture and commerce, and polished by the use of letters and of arts. They are neither involved in the impiety of atheism, nor the darkness of idolatry; and their religion, false as it is, has many articles of belief in common with our own: which will facilitate our labours in diffusing the true faith, and dispose them to receive it.92 They believe in one God, Creator and Lord of all; to whom they attribute infinite power, justice, and mercy. They hold the immortality of the soul; and expect a future judgment, a heaven, and a hell; they acknowledge an universal deluge; they honour the patriarch Abraham as the first author of their religion; they acknowledge Moses and Christ to have been great prophets, and allow the Pentateuch and the Gospel to be sacred books. 93 Since, therefore, by our holy Scriptures, the duty of attempting the universal conversion of mankind is amply ascertained; and since we find among the followers of Mahomet such favourable prepossessions and established doctrines, AS WILL RENDER EASY THE APPROACH TO THEIR CONVERSION, neither force of obliga

tion, NOR PROSPECT OF SUCCESS is wanting, to encourage our progress, and animate our zeal."*

In the joint operation, therefore, of Christianity and Mahometanism, there exists, in point of fact, a twofold instrumentality, acting co-ordinately, upon a vast scale, on the civil and social relations of mankind, and on their moral and spiritual interests and affections; and apparently tending, in an eminent degree, to bring about that consummation spoken of in Scripture prophecy, when the one true religion shall universally prevail, and "the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea." 94 Christianity operates directly in the fulfilment of this prophecy: Mahometanism shapes the course of things indirectly towards it. + Both systems aim alike at the destruction of

White, pp. 379, 380, &c. This extract, compared with pp. 298, 299. as cited pp. 42, 43. of the present Introduction, perhaps supplies one of the most finished specimens extant, of an author's skill in the art of self-confutation.

+Maracci concedes the point, that Mahometanism possesses greater facilities than Christianity, for the conversion of heathen nations. Viewing the religion of Mahomet as opposed to the Gospel, this property might seem dangerous to the cause of truth; but regarding Mahometanism as introductory to the more universal diffusion of Christianity, it obviously assumes high interest and value. See Maracci, ap. Reland. De Relig. Mohammed. Præf. For a most interesting confirmation of this predisposing agency of Mahometanism, observable in India, both in loosening the shackles of the Hindoo idolatry, and in leading the popular mind, beyond its own dim lights, towards the better realities of Christianity, see Bishop Heber's Journal, vol. i. pp. 346–348. 4to. edit.

idolatry: the one by the introduction and establishment of true religion; the other by the introduction and establishment of a wonderful approximation to the true faith.

Their influence "their sound is gone out into all lands, their words unto the ends of the world;" and they hold so many great fundamentals in common 95, that, in the judgment of the most unexceptionable authorities, they contain a natural and necessary tendency to convergence; the imperfect scheme, when its providential work shall have been accomplished, becoming absorbed in the perfect, and the moon of Mahomet resigning its borrowed rays, to melt in the undivided light of the everlasting Gospel. † Such is the ascertained action of the

is already universally diffused;

*" Fight against them," is the uncompromising precept of Mahomet, "until there be no opposition in favour of idolatry, and the religion be wholly God's." Sale's Koran, i. 229. The providential office discharged by Mahometanism, as uniting with Christianity for the extirpation of idolatry, and as legible in the present state of the world, compared with the past, is well represented in an incidental remark of the learned J. D. Michaelis : "In our times, there is little temptation to believe in more than one God; for the greatest and most rational peoples on earth, are either Christians or Mahometans, and they coincide in this belief." Commentary on the Laws of Moses, vol. i. pp. 181, 182.

+ In allusion to the history of the Israelites, Dr. White somewhere observes, "The plot, viewed only in broken and detached scenes, was embarrassed and involved; but there was an Almighty Presider over every successive event, who, by a gradual evolution of his designs, conferred order and consistency on the whole." Is not this eminently beautiful and philoso

two religions, and such their tendency to eventual union. When, therefore, we recall to mind, that these religions emanated from the sons of Abraham, in virtue of a twofold promise of Jehovah to the faithful patriarch concerning them, the final issue indicated by the whole phenomena is plain: namely, that, as from Abraham, by his sons Isaac and Ishmael, there thus went forth the true faith, and an extraordinary approximation to it, throughout the world; so by the convergement, in the fulness of time, of Ishmael to Isaac, of Mahometanism to Christianity, the whole world shall one day be poured into the fold of the true shepherd, our only Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. 97

phical reflection, still more beautifully and philosophically applicable to Christianity and Mahometanism, viewed as the ordained fulfilments of a grand providential plan, originally announced in the twofold promise to Abraham, concerning his sons Isaac and Ishmael?