tions, they have rather contributed to the encreafe o f that ayerfton which
the Mohammedans in general have to the-Chr\{\ia.n Religion, and given
them great advantages in the difpute. The Proteftants alone are able
to attack the Koran, with fuccefs-, and fo r them, ItruJl, Providence has
referved the glory of its overthrow. In the mean time, i f I might
prefume to lay down rules to be obferved by thofe who attempt the con-
verfirn o f the Mohammedans* they Jhould be the famé which the learned
and worthy bifop Kidder * has preferred fo r the-converfion o f the
Jews, and which may, mutatis mutandis, be equally applied to the
former, notwithftanding the defpicable opinion that writer, fo r want o f
being better acquainted with them, entertained o f thofe people, judging
them fcarce fit to be argued with. The firfi o f thefe rules is, To
avoid compulfion ; which though it be not in our power to employ at
prefeht, I hope will not be made ufe o f when it is. The fécond is, To
avoid teaching doctrines againft common fenfe ; the Mohammedans
not being fuch fools (whatever we may think o f them) as to be gained
over in this cafe. The worjhipping o f images, and the doSlrine o f tran-
J'ubfiantidtion are great fumbling blocks to the Mohammedans, and the
church which teacheth them is very unfit to bring thofe people over. The
third is, T o avoid weak arguments : fo r the Mohammedans are not
to be converted with thefe, or hard words. IVe mufl ufe them with humanity,
and difpute againft them with arguments that are proper and
■ cogent. I t is certain that many Chriftians, who have written againft
them, have been very defeSlive this way : many have ufed arguments
that have no force, and advanced propofitions that are void o f truth.
This method is fo fa r from convincing that it rather ferves to harden
them. The Mohammedans will be apt to conclude we have little to
fay, when we urge them with arguments that are trifling or untrue.
We do but lofe ground when we do this j and infiead of gaining them,
we expofe ourfelves and our caufe alfo. We muft not give them ill
words neither ; but muft avoid all reproachful language, all that is
farcafiical and biting : this never did good from pulpit or prefs. The
foftefi words will make the deepeft imprefftim ; and i f we think it a
fa u lt in them to give ill language, we cannot be excufed when we imitate
them. The fourth rule is, Not to quit any article of the Chrifli-
an faith to gain the Mohammedans. It is a fond conceit o f the Soci-
nians, that we Jhall upon their principles be mofi like to prevail upon
the Mohammedans : it is not true in matter o f fa ll. We muft net
■ give up any article to gain them : but then the church o f Rome
* In his Demonftr. of the Maffias, part III. chap. 2.
ought
’mght to part with many pratilices and fome doSlrines. W ? are not to
deftgn to gain the Mohammedans over to a fyftem o f dogms, but to the
ancient and primitive faith. I believe no body will deny but that the
rules here laid down are ju ft: the latter part o f the third, which alone
my deftgn has given me occafton to praClife, I think fo reafonable, that I
have not, in fpeaking o f Mohammed or his Koran, allowed myfelf to
ufe thofe opprobrious appellation 's, and unmannerly exprejftons, which fieem
to be the JlrongeJl arguments o f feveral who have written againft them.
On the contrary, 1 have thought myfelf obliged to treat both with common
decency, and even to approve fuch particulars as feemed to me to de-
ferve approbation: for how criminal foever Mohammed may have been
in impofing a falfe religion on mankind, the praifes due to his real virtues
ought not to be denied him ; nor can I do otherwife than applaud
the candour o f the pious and learned Spanhemius, who, tho’ he owned
■ him to have been a wicked impoftor, yet acknowledged him to have been
richly furnilhed with natural endowments, beautiful in his perfon,
of a fubtle wit, agreeable behaviour, fhewing liberality to the poor,
courtefy to every one, fortitude againft his enemies, and above all a
high reverence for the name of Ood ; fevere againft .the perjured,
adulterers, murtherers, flanderers, prodigals, covetous, falfe witneffes,
-& c. a great preacher o f patience, charity, mercy, beneficence, gratitude,
honouring o f parents and fuperiors, and a frequent celebrator
o f the divine praifes
O f the feveral tranflations of the Koran now extant, there is but one
•which tolerably reprefents the fenfe o f the original-, and that being in
Latin, a new verfton became neceffary, at leaft to an Englilh reader.
What Bibliander publijhed for a Latin tranflation o f that book de-
ferves not the name o f a tranflation-, the unaccountable liberties therein
taken, and the numberlefs faults, both o f omiftion and commiftion, leaving
fcarce any refemblance o f the original. I t was made near fix hundred .
years ago, being finijhed in 1 143, by Robertus Retenenfis, an Englifh-
man, with the affiance o f Hermannus Dalmata, at the requeft o f
Peter abbot of Clughy, who paid them well for their pains.
From this Latin verfton was taken the Italian o f Andrea Arriva-
bene, notwithfianding the pretences in his dedication o f its being done
* Id certum, naturalibus egregie dotibus injlruftum Mubammedem, forma preeflanti, ingen io cal-
lidoy moribus facetis, ac pree feferentem liberalitatem in egenos, comitatem infmgulos, fortitudinem
inbojles, ac pree ceeteris reverentiam divini nominis. — Severus fuit in perjuros, adulteros, homicidal,
-cbtreftatores, prodigos, avaros, falfos teftes‘, &c. Magnus idem patientiee, charitatis, mifericordia,
beneficentiee, gratitudinis, honoris in parentes ac fuperiores preeco, ut & divinarum laudum. Hid.
Ecclef. Sec. 7. c. 7. lem. 5, & 7. .
immediately