placed unreservedly at my command, his valuable and various collection on oriental subjects; including, among other rare articles, the Adversaria, and unpublished MSS. of the learned Sale: materials by which I have not failed to profit; especially in the final notes.

May I be permitted, also, to notice the liberality of my respectable publishers; who voluntarily engaged to supply me with all the necessary authorities; and have made their engagement more than good; sparing, for this purpose, neither their trouble, nor their time.

But my last, no less than my earliest, acknowledgments, are due to him, who, “even from my youth up," has been the chosen guide and guardian of my pursuits and studies. Through every previous stage of the present work, it has been my happiness to find in Your Lordship a safe and wise adviser; and, in passing it through the

Press, each sheet has had the advantage of being submitted to the censure of a vigilant, but friendly eye.

I have the honour to remain,

With dutiful respect,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's most faithful

and affectionate friend and servant,

CHARLES FORSTER.

LONDON, February 16. 1829.

CONTENTS.

VOL. I.

INTRODUCTION. - Pages 1-110.

Success of Mahometanism.

A subject of great and general

interest. Not satisfactorily accounted for. Inquiry on

just principles recommended. General features. Ob-

scure origin. Social and political state of Arabia. Sudden

rise of Mahometanism. Rapid and wide propagation.

Permanence. Completeness of mental dominion. Trans-

formative power, as conquering, as conquered. Abstract

nature of belief. Simplicity of rites. Summary. Ob-

jections of infidels. Mr. Gibbon. Replies of Christian

advocates. Dr. Paley. Dr. White. Instances of argu-

mentative unfairness. Fanciful causes of success. Mis-

taken estimate of real causes. Re-statement. Subject

examined on a new principle. Two promises to Abraham.

Covenant of Isaac. Covenant of Ishmael. Analogy in

terms and results. Advantages of this view.

able matter measured by a just standard. Ways of Pro-

vidence vindicated. Basis of the present argument. Its

general outline. Correspondence with prophetic Scrip-

ture. Agreement with actual phenomena. Twofold

prediction and accomplishment. Temporal, spiritual.

Isaac; Jews, Christians. Ishmael; Arabs, Turks, Tartars.

Child of promise; true revelation. Spurious offspring;

false creed. Plan of work. Concluding reflections.

Objection-

SECTION I.-Pages 113-161.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GOD'S TWOFOLD COVENANT

WITH ABRAHAM, IN BEHALF OF HIS SONS ISAAC AND

ISHMAEL.

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Original promise to Abraham. Two parts-lineal-social.

Twice renewed in former part. Third renewal—to Hagar

for Ishmael. Enlarged for Isaac - in both parts. Two

distinct covenants-Bishop Sherlock. Spiritual blessing

peculiar to Isaac. Chief portion of Ishmael-temporal

blessing. Not without spiritual signification-proofs.

Common predictions-corresponding fulfilments. Nature

of proof. Tabular view of promises. As to worldly

prosperity covenants nearly identical. Balance in favour

of Ishmael a great nation. Subject of inquiry― not the

fact but mode of fulfilment. Comparison of prophecy

with events. History of Jews of Arabs. Twelve pa-

triarchs — twelve princes. Twelve tribes- twelve na-

tions. Judah. Jews. Messiah. Kedar - Kedarites

Mahomet. Covenant of Isaac-Christianity. Covenant

of Ishmael — Mahometanism. Appropriate characters of

promises and accomplishments. Two promises to Abra-

ham confounded by Jews. Temporal blessing-ap-

plication of to Jews—to ancient Arabs. Appearance of

Mahomet clears the two promises - completes the ana-

logous fulfilments. Nations of earth adopted into fami-

lies of Isaac and Ishmael. Mahometanism compared with

Christianity with Judaism. Correspondence and con-

trast of systems equally important. Existence of two-fold

promise a pledge of twofold accomplishment. Covenant

of Isaac fulfilled manner of fulfilment known its ful-

filment an assurance that Ishmael's will be accomplished

in like manner. Anticipations met - by history of Israel-

ites and Ishmaelites - of Jews and Saracens sustained

by intermediate prophecies realized in Christianity and

Mahometanism.

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