Genii is similar in purport with the 46th,

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Say it hath been revealed unto me, that a company of the Genii attentively heard me reading the Koran, and said, Verily we have heard an admirable discourse, which directeth unto the right institution, wherefore we believe therein." In the 97th chapter, entitled Al-Kadr, "Verily we sent down the Koran in the night of Al-Kadr: the night of AlKadr is better than a thousand months."

Such artifices as these in the very outset form a striking contrast with the simplicity of the Old and New Testament writers. The Gospel is diametrically opposed to this, containing a plain recital of facts without note or comment, no admiration is excited, no boasting discernible, there is nothing to forestal the judgment, but sober and energetic appeals are addressed to the heart and conscience through the understanding. Our blessed Lord and Saviour disdained any appearance

of collusion or confederacy with Baal-zebub or the invisible world: he rejected such allies, not only imposing silence but prohibiting his interference, and compelling him to be silent against his will. The devils neither had inclination to serve him or expectation from him he came to annihilate their kingdom, and they were glad to escape punishment ; either as principal or accessory he scorned all advances from the powers of darkness.

These prefatory remarks conduct us to a review of the doctrines. The religion of the Koran may be divided into two parts, the credenda and the agenda, or articles of belief and practice. The creed has been sometimes admired for its simplicity (which however on examination will appear more fancied than real) and is conceived in the following terms: “I believe in one God, I believe in his angels, in all his writings, and in all the Prophets

h Luke iv. 35.

whom he has sent into the world, without excepting one, and making no difference between the prophets and ambassadors of God: I believe in the day of judgment: moreover I believe that every thing that exists, whether it be pleasing to us or not, was created of God."

The first article of belief is in God: the Koran discards idolatry and creature-worship as has been observed, on the rational principle that whatever rises must set, that whatever is born must die, that whatever is corruptible must decay and perish. This chain of thought is exemplified in the case of Abraham by a story certainly borrowed from the Talmud, which represents Abraham as employing this kind of argument when he opposed the introduction of idolatry into Chaldæa. The story is thus related in the Koran':

i See Gibbon.

1 See chapter 6.

* See Sale.

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"When the night overshadowed him, he saw a star and he said, this is my Lord, but when it set, he said, I like not gods which set: and when he saw the moon rising he said, this is my Lord, but when he saw it set, he said, Verily if my Lord direct me not, I shall become one of the people who go astray. And when he saw the sun rising he said, this is my Lord, this is the greatest, but when it set, he said, O my people, verily I am clear of that which ye associate with God: I direct my face unto him who hath created the heavens and the earth, I am orthodox and not one of the idolators." The Koran does not fatigue itself with disquisitions respecting the Divine Essence, but proceeds at once to the Unity, as is expressed in the 112th chapter, entitled The Declaration of God's Unity, "Say God is one God, the eternal God: he begetteth not, neither is he begotten; and there is not any one like unto him." But the Koran does

not content itself with the mere expression of the Unity, but assuming the prerogative of God, deals out damnation on all who entertain in its opinion, inconsistent views on the subject. They are surely infidels who say,

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Verily God is Christ the son of Mary, since Christ said, O children of Israel! serve God, my Lord and your Lord whoever shall give a companion to God, God shall exclude him from paradise, and his habitation shall be hell-fire; and the ungodly shall have none to help them. They are certainly infidels who God is the third of three: for there is no say, God besides one God: and if they refrain not from what they say, a painful torment shall surely be inflicted on such of them as are unbelievers. Will they not therefore be turned unto God and ask pardon of him? Since God is gracious and merciful. Christ, the son of Mary, is no more than an apostle ; other apostles have preceded him; and his