the ſecond a fool, and the third lame in his feet, I ſay, though it be without head or tail, as we uſe to ſpeak, being immethodicall and confuſed, contradictory in many things, written in a rude Language the Author himſelf being no Linguiſt or Scholar, nay, not able to read or write, though alſo it conſiſt of lyes and ſenſleſs follies, yet this benefit we may reap; I ſay, in reading of it, that we ſhall be forced to admire and praiſe the goodneſs of God towards us Chriſtians, who having ſuffered a great part of the world to ſit in the valley of the ſhadow of death, to be oppreſſed with Cimmerian, yea more than palpable Egyptian darkneſs, hath placed us in the Temple, where we have the golden Candleſtick of his Word, and a clearer and more durable Lamp then that ofSalomons Temple, yea even the Sun of righteouſnes ſhining upon us in the land of Goſhan, whilſt a great part of the world doth follow the Antichriſtian beaſt, we follow the Lamb upon mount Sion; while they hear the voyce of Satyres, Oſtrages, and Schrich-Owls, we hear the voice of the Turtle, and the Songs of Sion in our own Land: whilſt they feed on husks with ſwine, and drink the corrupted puddles of Mahomets inventions, we are fed with Angels food, and eat cœleſtiall Manna, and drink of the pure river of life, clear as cryſtall: Again, we may tremble at the reading of this Alcoran, when we conſider the ſeverity of Gods Judgments, and the fierceneſs of his anger, who for the contempt of his Goſpel, in thoſe Countries where Mahomet is worſhipped, hath ſuffered ſo many millions of people to be deluded, blinded, abuſed, and inſlaved by that falſe Prophet, to believe his lyes, and by loathing the ſweet Evangelical Manna, to devour greedily the poyſonable qualies of his doctrine, and with it the wrath of God which hath faln on them, whilſt the fleſh is between their teeth, ſo that they muſt needs periſh everlaſtingly. Who would have thought that thoſe Countreys which were honored by Gods own preſence, by the Oracles of the Prophets, by the preſence, miracles, and preaching of Chriſt, by the planting of the Apoſtles, by the blood of ſo many Martyrs, ſhould be thus beſotted, and enſlaved by the tyranny of this grand Impoſtor? When we think on thoſe things, let us work out our own ſalvation with fear and trembling, and let him who thinks he ſtandeth take heed leaſt he fall: they were not greater ſinners
