pear ftill more ridiculous in a tranflation, where the ornament, fuch
as it is, for whofe fake they were made, cannot be perceived. However
the Arabians are fo. mightily delighted with this jingling, that
they employ it in their moft elaborate compofitions, which they alfd
imbellifh with frequent paflages of and allufions to the Koran, fo
that it is next to impoffible to underftand them without being well
verfed in this book.
It is probable the harmony of expreffion which the Arabians find
in the Koran, might contribute not a little to make them relifti the
dodtrine therein taught, and give an efficacy to arguments which had
they been nakedly propofed without this rhetorical drefs, might not
have fo eafily prevailed. Very extraordinary effedfs are related
of the power of words well chofen and artfully placed, which are no
lefs powerful either to ravifh or amaze than mufic itfelf; wherefore
as much has been afcribed by the beft orators to this part of rhetoric
as to any other '. He muft have a very bad ear, who is not uncom-
iinonly moved with the very cadence of a well-turned fentence ; and
Mohammed feems not to have been ignorant of the enthufiaftic operation
of rhetoric on the minds of men; for which reafion he has not
only employed his utmoft fkill in thefe his pretended revelations, to
preferve that dignity and fublimity of ftyle, which might feem not
unworthy of the majefty of that Being, whom he gave out to be the
author of them; and to imitate the prophetic manner of the Old Te-
Jlament; but he has not negledted even the other arts of oratory;
wherein he fucceeded fo well, and fo ftrangely captivated the minds of
his audience, that feveral of his opponents thought it the effedt of
witchcraft and enchantment, as he fometimes complains .4
“ The general defign of the Koran” (to ufe the words of a very
learned perfon,) “ feems to be this. To unite the profelfors of the
S three different religions -then followed in the populous country of
« Arabia, who for the moft part lived promifcuoufly, and wandred
without guides, the far greater number being idolaters, and the reft
« Jews and Chriftians moftly of erroneous and heterodox belief, in the
“ knowledge and worlhip o f one eternal, invifible G o d , by whofe power
“ all things were made, and thofe which are not, may be, the fupream
“ Governor, Judge, and abfolute Lord of the creation ; eftablifhed
“ under the fandtion of certain laws, and the outward figns of cer-
“ tain ceremonies, partly of ancient and partly of novel inftitution,
“ and inforced by fetting before them rewards and punifliments, both 1
1 .See Caftmbon of Enthufiafm, chap. 4. ■ * Kerin, chap. 15, i f , £jU.
“ tem-
“ temporal and eternal: and to bring them all to the obedience
“ of Mohammed, as the prophet and ambaffador of G o d , who after
« the repeated admonitions, promifes, and threats of former ages,
i was at laft to eftablifh and propagate G o d’s religion on earth by
“ force of arms, and to be acknowledged chief pontif in fpiritual
“ matters, as well as fupream prince in temporal ”
The great dodtrine then of the Koran is the unity o f G o d ; to re-
ftore which point Mohammed pretended was the chief end o f his
million; it being laid down by him as a fundamental truth, that there
never was nor ever can be more than one true orthodox religion.
For tho’ the particular laws or ceremonies are only temporary, and
fubjedt to alteration according to the divine direction, yet the fub-
ftance of it being eternal truth, is not liable to change, but continues
immutably the fame. And he taught that whenever this religion became
negledted, or corrupted in effentials, G od had the goodnefs to reinform,
and readmonifh mankind thereof, by feveral prophets, of whom Mo-
fes and Jefüs were the moft diftinguilhed, till the appearance o f Mohammed,
who is their feal, no other being to be expedted after him.
And the more effedtually to engage people to hearken to him, great
part of the Koran is employed in relating examples of dreadful
punifhments formerly inflidted by G od on thofe who rejedted and
abufed his meffengers; feveral of which ftories or fome circumftances
of them are taken from the Old and New ¥ eft ament, but many more
from the apocryphal books and traditions of the Jews and Chriftians
of thofe ages, fet up in the Koran as truths in oppofition to the fcrip-
tures, which the Jews and Chriftians are charged with having altered ;,
and I am apt to believe that few or none of the relations or circum—
fiances in the Koran were invented by Mohammed, as is generally fup-
pofed, it being eafy to trace the greateft part of them much higher,,
as the reft might be, were more of thofe books extant, and it was.
Worth while to make the inquiry.
The other part of the Koran is taken up in giving neceflary laws
and diredtions, in frequent admonitions to moral and divine vernies,,
and above all to the worfhipping and reverencing of the only true
G od, and refignation to his will; among which are many excellent
things intermixed not unworthy even a Chriftian’s perufal
But befides thefe, there are a great number of paflages which are
occafional, and relate to particular emergencies. For whenever any
thing happened which perplexed and gravelled Mohammed, and which
he could not otherwife get over, he had conftant recourfe to a new
1 Golius, in append; ad Gram. Erp. p. 17 6v
revee