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the spurious analogy, between the pseudo-bible of Mahometanism, and our sacred books, may, in the next place, therefore, be illustrated by a selection of coincidences of this description: which shall be presented side by side with the parallel passages of Scripture.

BIBLE.

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. †

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret and thy Father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. §

KORAN. *

Make not your alms of none effect, by reproaching, or mischief; as he who layeth out what he hath, to appear unto men to give alms. Vol. i. chap. ii. p. 50. †

If ye make your alms to appear, it is well; but if ye conceal them, and give them unto the poor, this will be better for you, ‡ and will atone for your sins: and God is well informed of that which ye do. Ib. p. 51.

* Sale's translation. The passages which follow might have been easily arranged under heads: but it has been judged more simple and satisfactory, to take them nearly in the order in which they occur in the Koran.

"They who lay out their substance for the religion of God, and afterwards follow not what they have so laid out by reproaches or mischief, they shall have their reward with their Lord." Koran, ib. The more strongly marked plagiarisms may be sometimes completed from the context of the Koran: such passages shall be occasionally added at the foot of the page.

How marked the contrast, in this imitation, between the uncompromising spirit of the Gospel, and the accommodating facility of the Koran. Our Lord enjoins secrecy in well-doing: Mahomet leaves the choice of concealment, or publicity.

S" They who distribute alms of their substance, night and day, in private and in public, shall have their reward with their Lord." Koran,

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For the Lord giveth wisdom. God giveth wisdom unto

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* Another passage, p. 52. of this context, plainly seems taken from our Lord's parable, St. Luke, xviii. 23—35. "If there be any debtor under a difficulty of paying his debt, let his creditor wait, till it be easy for him to do it: but if ye remit it as alms, it will be better for you, if ye knew it. And fear the day wherein ye shall return unto God: then shall every soul be paid what it hath gained."

Bible.

neration that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1 Pet. ii. 7-9.

Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word, before God and all the people. St. Luke, xxiv. 19.

Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him. Acts, iii. 22.

Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. (Heb. iii. 1.) And the Word was made flesh. (St. John, i. 14.) I proceeded forth and came from God. (Ib. viii. 42.) Christ took upon him the form of a servant. (Philipp. ii. 7.)

* i. e. Idols, or demons.

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The reader will not fail to remark, that, with one exception, the above coincidences occur in the same chapter of the Koran; and within the space of three or four pages.

‡ This passage of the Koran is compiled quite in the spirit of modern Unitarianism. Like his heretical successors, those very passages of Scripture which most strongly affirm the divinity of Christ, the Arabian impostor perverts into denials of that divinity. The first chapter of Saint John, and the second of Philippians, adduced to prove that Christ is not God! It should not be lost sight of whence the Unitarians of later times have stolen their boasted denomination : "The Unitarians," was, in every age, the favourite title of the Moslems. Saladin. p. 104.

الموحدين

See Bohadin. Vit.

BIBLE.

Jesus said unto them, The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up. St. Luke, vii. 22. Who can forgive sins but

God alone? Ib. v. 21. Godliness is profitable unto

all things:

KORAN.

He [Jesus] shall say - I will heal him that hath been blind from his birth; and the leper;

and I will raise the dead. *
Ch. iii. p. 64.

Who forgiveth sins except
God? Ib. p. 79.
And God gave them the
reward of this world;

Having promise of the life And a glorious reward in

that now is,

And of that which is to come.

1 Tim. iv. 8.

I the Lord search the heart;
I try the reins. Jer. xvii. 10.

the life to come:

For God loveth the well

doers. Ib. p. 81.

And this came to pass:
That God might try what
was in
your breasts;
And might discern what was
in your hearts. Ib. p.83.

Be not afraid of them that Be ye not afraid of them;

kill the body;

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* These scriptural signs are adulterated in the Koran, by the ridiculous

legend of the creation of a bird from clay.

"For God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 Cor. ix. 7.

BIBLE.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance. Heb. vi. 4-6.

Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our Father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. St. Matth. iii. 9.

But woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation, St. Matth. xxiii. 13, 14.

KORAN.

Moreover, they who believed, and afterwards became infidels, and then believed again, and after that disbelieved, and increased in infidelity, God will by no means forgive them, nor direct them into the right way. Ib. p. 121.

If He pleaseth, he will take you away, O men, and will produce others in your stead: for God is able to do this. Ib. p. 120.

Because of the iniquity of those who judaize, and because they shut out many from the way of God, and have taken usury, which was forbidden them by the law, and devoured man's substance vainly; we have prepared for such of them as are unbelievers, a painful punishment. Ib. p.125.*

* It is the Jews who are spoken of in the above contexts; and it is very remarkable, with how much precision the denunciations of Scripture are applied to them. Among other accusations here preferred against them, it is said, "They have made void their covenant; and have not believed in the signs of God; and have slain the prophets unjustly; and have said, our hearts are uncircumcised," &c. p. 123, 124. Allusions applied so correctly and in point, as to make it almost clear that they were taken immediately from Scripture.

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