The Alcoran of Mahomet/A needful Caveat or Admonition to the Reader
A needfull Caveat or Admonition
for them who desire to know what use
may be made of, or if there be danger in
reading the Alcoran, by Alexander Ross.
Ood Reader the great Arabian Impostor now at last after a thousand years, is by the way of France arrived in England, & his Alcoran, or gallimaufry of Errors, (a Brat as deformed as the Parent, and as full of heresies, as his scald head was of scurffe) hath learned to speak English. I suppose this piece is exposed by the Translator to the publick view, no otherwise then some Monster brought out of Africa. for people to gaze, not to dote upon; and as the sight of a Monster or mishapen creature should induce the beholder to praise God, who hath not made him such; so should the reading of this Alcoran excite us both to bless Gods goodness towards us in this Land, who enjoy the glorious light of the Gospel, and behold the truth in the beauty of holiness; as also to admire Gods Judgments, who suffers so many Countreys to be blinded and inslaved with this mishapen issue of Mahomets brain, being brought forth by the help of no other Midwifry then of a Jew and a Nestorian, making use of a tame Pigeon (which he had taught to pick cores out of his Ears) instead of the holy ghost, and causing silly people to believe, that in his falling sickness (to which he was much subject) he had conference with the Angel Gabriel.
I know the publishing of the Alcoran may be to some dangerous and scandalous, dangerous to the Reader, scandalous to the higher powers, who notwithstanding have cleared themselves by disliking the publishing, and questioning the publishers thereof; but for the danger, I will deliver in these ensuing Propositions my opinion, yet with submission to wiser judgments.
1. Though it may be dangerous to such as like reedes are shaken, and like empty clouds carried about with every winde of doctrin, yet to staid and solid Christians, the reading of Mahomets Heresies will be no more dangerous, then the reading of those errors which are recorded in Scripture, for in them are mentioned many damnable errors and abominations of the Egyptians, Cananites, Hittites, Sidonians, and other Gentiles, and of the Hebrews themselves, of the Sadduces who denied Spirits, Angels, and the Resurrection.
2. Is there more danger in reading the Alcoran, then in reading the Errors of ancient and modern Hereticks? surely Tertulian, Ireneus, Epiphanius, Austin, and other Fathers were not of this opinion, who have left upon record of posterity, the damnable heresies of Arians, Eutychians, Nestorians, Macedonians, and others: and in the Alcoran there are not such dangerous errors as among the Tetratheits, Angelites, and Theodosians, who held there were four Gods, or the Tritheites, who affirmed there were three, or the Gnosticks, Manicheans, Cerdonians, Marcionites, who maintained there were two contrary gods, the one good, the other bad, whereas the Alcoran sets down there is but one true God; and although it denieth with Arius, the Divinity of Christ, yet it holds him a great Prophet; nor doth it speak so blasphemoussly of Christ as the Simonians, who held Simon Magus, or the Ophites, and Manicheans, who said, the Serpent was Christ, or Menander, who affirmed himself to be Christ, and the Saviour of the world. Besides; are not the damnable Heresies of the modern Familists, who deny Christs Divinity, making as many Christs as there be illuminated Elders in their Congregations? are not also the Heresies of the Socinians, Antitrinitarians, Adamites, Serverntians, Anti-sabbatarians, and many others exposed to the view of all that will read them? why then may not the Alcoran? Besides, are men debarred from reading the Greek and Latine Poets? nay, are not many of them translated into our English tongue? as also the mo- dern Histories of the East and West Indies, wherein are more damnable tenets then any in the Alcoran, and they who have read the Jewish Talmud, and Cabala, will finde them as ridiculous pieces as the Alcoran.
3. If there were any loveliness, beauty, excellency, or any thing else in the Alcoran that might win the minde, and draw the affection after it, I should hold the reading of it dangerous, but whereas it is such a mishapen and deformed piece, I think the reading of it will confirm us in the truth, and cause us love the Scripture so much the more: for as a beautiful body is never more lovely then when she is placed neer a Black-More, neither is truth more amiable then when it is beset with Errors. Opposita uxta se posita clarius elucescunt, the Gem recieves lustre from the foile, the stars from the night, & fire is most scorching in Frost, even so by an Antiperistasis truth is fortified by error Who can thing that the fight of a Hob Goblin, or deformed vizard should draw the childe from the Nurse or brest of the Mother to embrace it, Whereas the fight thereof will rather cause the child hold faster by the mother. The wise Spartans oft-times brought drunkards into the room. where their sons were, not that they should be induced thereby to love, but to abbor drunkenness, which they could not have done, had they not seen the unseemly and rude carriage, the undecent behavior, and uncomposed gestures of the drunkard. When Zisca had destroyed the Adamits of Bohemia, he preserved two alive that they might reveal to the world the wicked errors of that Sect. Who is so mad as to prefer the embracements of a filthy Baboon, to his beautiful Mistress, or the braying of an Ass to a Consort of Musick? he deserves the ears of Midas that will prefer the Cuckoes song to the sweet notes of the Nightingale.
4. Though the Alcoran be received among many Nations, yet this reception proceeds not from any love they bear to it, or any loveliness they finde in it, but partly out of fear, being forced by the Sword, partly out of a preposterous desire of liberty and preferment, and partly out of ignorance, as not being suffered to read the Scriptures nor to hear Philosophy, by which the errors thereof may be detected, nor to enquire into the absurdities thereof, or to dispute and question any thing in it: for which cause also it is not suffered to be Printed, nor are Christians permitted to enter into Mecca, least their absurdities and impieties of their Religion should be manifested, and thus are those silly souls kept in blindness and ignorance, and therefore I never read that any Nation did voluntarily receive the Alcoran except the theevish Saracens of Arabia, because it was a friend both to their theevery and lechery, as permitting multiplicity of Wives and Concubins, and a reward for those that shall murther and rob.
5. The Alcoran is translated into French and other vulgar Tongues, and the chief heads thereof by Purchas in his Pilgrimage, by Heilin in his Geography, and by others into our own tongue without scruple or exception; and I pray you, why is the Arabick tongue, the language of that false Prophet, and in which he writ his Aloran, so much learned and taught in Schools and Christian Universities, but that by it we may come to the knowledge of Mahomets Laws and Religion? and how should we know this little born in Daniel that spake high and proud things against the Almighty, if we read not his life and doctrine?
6. There is a kinde of necessity we should know evil as wel as good, falshood as well as truth, that we may avoid the one, and so much more love the other; he that hath smelled a stinking weede will smell with more delight the sweet Rose, he that reades the Alcoran will finde it smell worse then Mahomets carkass did, which after his death lay putrifying upon the ground, which his disciples permitted for many dayes together, hoping he would have been as good as his word, who made them a promise that he would rise again the third day; but at last finding he had forgot himself, and that his body smelled not so sweet as Alexanders did after his death, they were forced to bury it, or otherwayes the dogs who were beginning to bury him in their guts had saved them a labour; though Suger be sweet in it self, yet it is much more sweet to him that hath tasted Aloes, and though Italy in it self be a delicious Countrey, and garden of the world, yet it is much more delightful, pleasant, and beautiful, to him who hath passed over the mountanous, craggy, and rugged Alpes: Did not the Prodigal love the bread of his fathers house evermore the better after he had been fed on husks with swine? doubtless we shall finde, that after we have fed a while upon the course husks of the Alcoran, with the Arabian swine, we shall with much more eagerness covet after the plenty of our Fathers house, exhibited to us in his Word, where we shall finde the hidden Manna, the bread of Life, that came down from heaven.
7. Books of Palmistry, Physiognomy, judiciall Astrologie, Necromancy, and other superstitious and impious Arts have been permitted to come abroad, that men might see the vanity of those Arts, the knavery and wickedness of the Artists, the foolishness of credulous people, who suffer themselves to be deluded by them, and the malice of Satan the arch enemy of mankinde, whose delight is to abuse, delude, and destroy men: why then may not the Alcoran be read, that men may see the vanity, impiety, and foolishness of it, by which the world hath been so many years cheated and abused?
8. They that learn Arts and Sciences, desire the knowledg, not only of the good things, but of the evil things also, and the abuses of them, to the end they may avoid them; therefore Logick sspeaks as well as sophisticall and fallacious syllogismes, as of demonstrative and topical; Ethicks treats of vices as well as of vertues; Natural Philosophy handleth the natures, not only of useful and beneficial creatures, but also of hurtful and venomous, as of Serpents; Physick speaks of poysons as well as cures; Historians describe both the vertuous and vicious actions of Princes; in Divinity we learn, not only what God and good Angels are, but also what Sathan is and his wicked Angels; in Navigation we must know, not only what places are Navigable, but also what are not; how shall we avoid Rocks, Quick-sands and Shelves if we know them not? even so Christian Religion permits not only the reading of Scripture but also of heretical and heathenish books, as is said, that we may know what to embrace, what to shun; therefore if you would know what be the damnable errors to be avoided by Christians, read the Alcoran, and you shall finde in it the sinke of all, or most part of ancient heresies.
9. In reading of the Alcoran, though it be, as Cato said of the three Roman Embassadors, that were to go to Antiochus, headless, heartless, and footless, the one being maimed in his head, 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 then we, therefore doubtless except we repent we shall take likewise perish; the remissnes of Heraclius Government, his falling into the heresie of the Monothelites, the contempt of the Gospel, the flighting of the Pastors, the wickedness of the people, the continual Schisms, rents, jars, and divisions of their Churches, were both the causes and occasions of these miseries which have faln upon them; let us take heed then we be not partakers of their sins, least we also partake of their plagues.
10. The reading of the Alcoran will enable us to beat Mahomet with his own weapons, to cut off the head of this Goliah with his own sword, and to wound this unclean bird with quils pickt out of his own wings, for even unwittingly and unwillingly he is forced to acknowledg many truths of Christian Religion, in affirming there is but one true God the Creator of all things, and though he goeth about to overthrow the doctrine of the Trinity, yet he doth plainly confirme it; when he speaks of God, of the Word and of the Spirit, which three indeed are one in essence, though distinct in subsistence; though he laboureth to overthrow the Gospel yet he confirms it, when he calls it good, full, right, a light, and a guide to salvation, for if it be full, good, &c. what need was then of his Alcoran? and though he indeavoreth to overthrow Christs Divinity with Arius and Nestorius, and the Jews his ghostly fathers, yet he affirms it, in calling Christ the Word; for as the internal word of the minde is coeternal with the minde, so is Christ the Word of his Father, coeternal with the Father; he establisheth also the Article of Christs Conception and Nativity, affirming him to be conceiving by the holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, whom he confesseth to have been a pure Virgin, both before and after Christs birth: so he confirms the Article of Christs ascention into heaven, and divers other points of Christianity, to whom we are more beholding for his reverend esteem of Christ, then the Jews who revile and blaspheme him.
11. In reading the Alcoran, though we finde much dung, yet in it we shall meet with some gold, as Virgil did in reading of Ennius his Verses. Æsops Cock found a precious stone in a dunghill; where is much dross some pure mettal will be found: even s in the dirt of the Alcoran you shall finde some jewels of Christian vertues; and indeed if Christians will but diligently read an obs the Laws and Histories of the Mahometans, they may blush to s how zealous they are in the works of devotion, piety, and charity, how devout, cleanly, and reverend in their Mosques, how obedient to their Priests, that even the great Turk himself will attempt nothing without consulting his Mufti, how careful are they to observe their hours of prayer five times a day where ever they are, or however imployed? how constantly do they observe their Fasts from morning till night a whole moneth together? how loving and charitable the Muslemans are to each other, and how carefull of strangers, may be seen by their Hospitals, both for the poor and for travellers: if we observe their justice, temperance, and other morall vertues, we may truly blush at our own coldness, both in devotion and charity, at our injustice, intemperance, and oppression, doubtless thes men will rise up in judgement against us; and surely their devotion, piety, and works of mercy are maine causes of the growth of Mahomatism, and on the contrary, our neglect of Religion, and loosness of conversation, is a maine hindrance to the increa{se of Christianity: is it not a shame that they should read over their Alcoran once every month, and we scarce read over the Bible in all our life? that they shall give such reverence to their Alcoran, as to honor the very Camel that carried it to Mecca and to lay up for holy reliques the napkins and handkerchiefs that rubbed off the sweat from hi skin; and we shall prefer lascivious Poems, and wanton Ballads to the sacred word of Almighty God? do we not make our selves unworthy of such an inestimable treasure?
12. The Turks are our neighbors, and their Territories border upon the dominions of Christendom: there have been continuall wars, and will be still between us, it concerneth very Christian who make conscience of his wayes to examine the cause, and to look into the ground of this war, whether they be just or not, which cannot be known but by reading the Alcoran, in which we see the Mahometans to be the enemies of the Cross of Christ, in denying his Death, and of his Divinity, also in that they deny his Godhead: we shall finde so many passages in it repugnant to, and destructive of Christian Religion, that Christian Princes are bound to oppose the enemies thereof:Euscb. in vit.
Const. & l. 9. c.
9. Hist.
Theod. l. 5. c. 24.
Socrat. l. c. 6. 18
Aug. l. 5. de cvi. dci. c. 23. after the example of those glorious Emperors Constantine, who made war against the Heathen Princes, Maxentius, Maxminus and Licinus, of Theodosius the elder against the Tyrant Eugenius the worshipper of Herucles, of Theodosius the yonger against the Saracens, of Honorius against the Goths, all enemies of Christ, by whose assistance they got notable victories, and glorious triumphs.
13. We cannot do better service to our Countrimen, nor offer a greater affront to the Mahometans, then to bring out to the open view of all, the blinde Sampsons of their Alcoran, which hath mastered so many Nations, that we may laugh at it, of which even their own wise men are ashamed, and are sorry it should be translated into any other language, for they are unwilling that their grand Hypocrite should he unmasked, or that the visard of his pretended holiness should be taken off, whose filthy nakedness must appear when he is devested: they know that words and works of darkness cannot endure the light, Trepidantq; immisso lumine manes, the infernal Ghosts tremble at any glimpse of light; and the Wilde beasts return to their dens, saith David,Psal 10. 4.
Vt ingulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones. when the morning appears, not daring to seek their prey but in the dark night of ignorance; this great thief Mahomet hath destroyed many thousands, and under the Lyons skin, this Ass hath affrighted his beastly minded Saracens, therefore let us take away the ring from this Giges, by which he hath made himself invisible, and let us with Hercules, pull out this theeving Cacus out of his dark, den where he useth to hide and shelter himselfy and expose his deformed carkass to the pub-lick view, that we may wonder at it: and in detecting his errors, we follow the practise of Christ,Mat. 13. who discovered to the world the damnable Tenets of the Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites.
14. The Turks are preposterousy zealous in praying for the conversion, or perversion rather, of Christians to their irreligious Religion, they pray heartily, and every day in their Temples, that Christlans may imbarte the Alcoran, and become their Prosolytes, in effecting of which they leave no means unassaied by fear and flattery, by punishments and rewards; now, is it fitting that they in charity and zeal should exceed us? we are bound to pray, and indeavor heartily for their conversion, from darkness to light from error to truth; but how shall we do this, if we, know not the dangerous and damnable estate they are in, which we cannot know but by reading their Alcoran?
15. In reading the Alcoran we shall see what is the force of superstition, and with what, violence men are carried headlong in the defence and maintenance even of the most absurd and impious opinions; what Hecuba is more deformed then the Alcoran? yet how do the Turks fight and struggle, toil and care, hazard life and liberty, estates and all for it, as if it were the most beautiful Helena in the world! thes men cannot endure the Image of Christ, or of a Saint in their Temples, calling this Idolatry, and yet they are the greatest idolaters in the world themselves, for never was there such, an Idol as the Alcoran, mo man must touch it, till first he be washed, and that being done, he must not touch it with his naked hands, but with a clean linen cloth; the Priest must kiss it, and bow to it; he must when he reads in it hold it up on high, for it is a sin to hold it lower then his girdle: Every piece of paper that a Turk findes he must use reverendly, because, the Alcoran is written in paper, the Mule that carries it to Mecca is held in great veneration, so that he or Jse is sanctified all the year after that can but touch him, and that handkerchief which wipeth off his sweat is a holy relique: thus do they strain at a gnat and swallow a Camel.
Rev. 20.16. In reading the Alcoran & Turkish Story, we shall see who were Gog and Magog that made war against the Saints, even the Turks an obscure people of Scythia, therefore called Gog, because they, were hid and unknown a long time, and the Saracens, who were a known people, and the open enemies of the Church therefore called Magog; these treacherously combined together, oppressed first the Persians, and afterward the Greek Empire, with the famous Churches of Asia, Greece, and Egypt; we shall also finde that by the Star which fell from heaven, and opened the bottomless pit, whose smoke darkned the Sun, and out of which came the Locusts, whose terror is described by St. John, is meant Mahomet that great destroyer, as his name signifeth, answering to the name Appollyon, and Abaddon:Rev. 9. for never was there such a destroyer, who by his pestilent doctrine hath destroyed so many souls, and by the sword of his Locusts hath destroyed so many bodies and ruinated so many goodly Countries.
17. If you will take a brief view of the Alcoran you shall finde it a hodg-podge made up of these four ingredients. 1. Of Contradictions. 2. Of Blasphemie. 3. Of ridiculous Fables. 4. Of Lyes: first of Contradictions he doth ordinarily say, and unsay the same thing; one while he tells us, that he was the first that ever entered into Paradise, and elsewhere he sayes he found men and women there; sometimes he affirms that Jews and Christians shall be saved by their own Religion, and sometimes again that none can be saved who embrace not his Alcoran; In one place following the Opinion of Origen, or rather of the Origenists he affirmed that all the devils shall be saved; in another place he saith only those devils shall be saved who hearken to, and obey his Alcoran. Secondly, of Blasphemy, for he blasphetmth God, in saying that he prayeth for Mahomet, intimating hereby that he is inferior to that God he prayeth to; he makes God also swear by Flies, Worms, and such base creatures, as if he were their inferiour, whereas God having none greater then himself, swears only by himself; He blasphemes the Father, in saying he cannot have a Son, because is not married, as if there were no other generation but what is carnall; he blasphemes the Son with Arius, in denying his Divinity; he blasphmes the holy Ghost with Macedonius, affirming him to be the Creature of a creature; he blasphemes God also, in making him the Author of his Alcoran, bragging that his name is written upon the Throne of God in that he is the greatest of the Prophets, who hath more knowledg then all the men and Angels of the world: and many other bragging words he uttereth of himself, by which we may see he is that little horn which spurng up among the ten horns of the great and terrible beast of the Roman Empire, destroying three of the Roman horns, to wit, the Asians, Grecians, and Egyptians; this IS the horn that hath many eyes, as being crafty and vigilant, but his month speaks proud things, in blaspheming and bragging, as we have heard. Thirdly, of ridiculous Stories, and which are more unsavory then the Golden Legend, or Lucians true Narrations; he tels us that he divided once the Moon, one half whereof fell into his lap, (this was not then the Man in the Moon, but the Moon in the Man) the other on the ground these two pieces he souldred again. Perhaps in memory of this lying miracle, the Turks use yet the half Moon for their Arms: He tels us of a great army of men and Angels raised by Salomon, but much hindred in their march by an army of Flies, which Salomon rebuked, where we have a witless conference between Salomon and the Fly; he tels you strange Story of Noahs Ark, how there the Hog was generated of the Elephants dung, and a Rat of the Hogs dung, which gnawing a hole in the Ark, at which Noah was affrighted; he touching the Lion on the forehead, out of whose brains leaped out a Cat, (as Minerva did out of Jupiters) which caused the Rat to run away: this is Phllosophy indeed for a Hog. Fourthly of Lyes, for he belyeth God, in making him author of his impietie and heresies; he belyes Christ: in saying he was conceived by the smell of a Rose; he belyeth the holy Ghost, in affirming that he inspired Mahomet to write the Alcoran; he belyeth the Virgin Mary, calling her the daughter of Amram, and sister of Moses, confounding her with Miriam, whereas there were so many generations between; he belyeth the Gospel, in saying it is corrupted by Christians; he belyeth Christians, when he saith they worship many gods, and that they give to God a companion, when they acknowledg the Divinity of Christ; he belyeth the Jews in saying they make Eleazer a god; he belyes the Patriarchs, in saying that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed his Alcoran, being so many thousand years before he was born, or his Alcoran had any existance; he belyes also the Apostles, in making them his Scholers, who lived neer six hundred years before he was born: by all which we may see who was the Compiler of this Alcoran, not the God of Truth, but the Father of Lyes; not Christ and his Apostles, whose weapons in propagating the Gospel, were powerfull preaching, miracles, and patience in suffering; not the sword, the chief means that Mahomet useth to force his Alcoran, an instrument forbid by Christ, but used by him who hath been a murtherer from the beginning; but I will not take upon me the task of refuting the Alcoran, beinq already refuted by Cantacuzenus, Richardus the Monk, Cusa the Cardinal, Woodmanstadius, Savanorola and others. I only thought good, upon intreaty of some learned and religious men, to prefix this brief Caveat, that the Reader might be the better armed to encounter with any rub or difficulty he shall meet with in the reading thereof. But before I end, give me leave to clear my self again in this point: that it is not my meaning all should have the liberty to read the Alcoran promiscuously, I know with the Apostle, that though all things be lawfully yet all things are not expedient, there are children as well as men in understanding; the Nurse may use that knife which the childe may not, and that sword which may without danger be handled by a sober man, cannot without danger be touched by a mad man; there are as well queasie as strong stomacks, and what is meat to the one may be venome to the other; though Mithridates could without hurt eat poyson, others may not presume to escape so; it is lawfull for any to look upon a monster, but it is not expedient for conceiving women; that iron which an Ostrich can digest, may destroy the stomack of other creatures; how many have been deceived in gathering Hemlock for Parsly? It is no for every many to meddle with Apothecaries drugs, he may chance meet with poyson as soon as an antidote; if all men were like Bees, to suck honey even out of Henbane, there might be no danger in reading the Alcoran, but most men are like Spiders sucking poyson even out of the sweetest of Roses; therefore they only may surely and without danger read the Alcoran, who are intelligent, judicious, learned, and throughly grounded in piety; and principles of Christianity, but weak, ignorant, inconstant, and disaffected mindes to the truth, must not venture to meddle with this unhallowed piece lest they be polluted with the touch thereof, as they were who came neer to a leprous body; and if we will not venture to into an infected house without preservatives, much less should any dare to read the Alcoran, that is not sufficiently armed with grace, strength, and knowledg against all tentations. God grant we may walk in the light of the Gospel whilest we have it, that we may not be overwhelmed with the dismall night of Mahometane darkness, which God may justly inflict up-upon; us for our sins, rents and divisions are not lesser then those were of the Greek, and Asiatick Churches, and doubtless except we repent we shall all perish with them, who for despising Gods sacred Oracles, are not taught to reverence every piece of paper they finde, which they are made to believe shal be put under the soles of their feet when they walk over the burning to their fools Paradise, as Busbequius in his Epistle tells us, who lived long amongst them, and was well acquainted with their opinions; but what I have written here concerning the Alcoran, I submit to the judgment and wisdom of those who sit at the Stern, and can see more then the Passengers.
FINIS.