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raised up." Now, if no such miracles had taken place, it would have been the extreme of folly to have called upon persons to bear witness to them, and particularly so, when this was made a reason why they should embrace a new religion.

But, waving the arguments to be drawn from the testimony of the Apostles in proof of the reality of the mission of Jesus, still it may be abundantly proved by a comparison of the ancient prophecies of the Jews, with the heathen writers of Rome. For it is foretold both in the Law and the Prophets that a person, who should be called the Messiah, should appear after a certain number of years, (which number is also specified) and before the destruction of Jerusalem, and that he should be put to death that his Religion should not consist in mere outward observances and that, beginning with him, it should spread throughout all nations. Now, there are three historians of Rome, who lived during the first hundred years after Christ, (at the very time in which his religion began to be made known) and who agree in relating, that a person named Christ was put to death in Jerusalem in the time of Tiberias Cæsar, (the very time which had been foretold in the

*

Suetonius, Tacitus, and Pliny the younger. Vide Grot. de Veritate Christ. Relig. Lib. ii. §. 2.

prophecies of the Jews) and that the Religion which is called Christian had originated with him, and had then spread itself throughout the whole Roman Empire. That his Religion does not consist in outward observances is more clear than the mid-day sun. And as no other person answering these descriptions has hitherto appeared, we conclude that he is the promised Messiah, who had been foretold by the Prophets.

THE END OF MR. MARTYN'S THIRD TRACT.

THE REJOINDER OF

MOHAMMED RUZA OF HAMADAN,

IN ANSWER TO

MR. MARTYN'S TRACTS.

IN the name of the compassionate and

merciful God.

Let praise be ascribed to God the Lord of created beings-benediction and peace to the chosen, the teachers, the followers of Mehdi*, and reward to the pious. But to proceed. Let it be observed, that although the attainment of truth appears to depend upon argument and demonstration, yet it in fact results solely from the divine grace and teaching. Argument and demonstration however, are with us, the means by which knowledge is to be obtained; but they are, at the same time, dispensations of grace: that too, which stimulates a mind unshackled by prejudice to search after the truth, is a gift derived from the same source.

....

The last of the twelve Imàms, who, according to the followers of Ali, is now concealed, and shall again appear at the end of the world.

L

There are many, however, upon whose minds the most conclusive arguments take no effect: which may be ascribed, either to a fondness for scepticism, or to an undue surrender of the will to the suggestions of Satan. There are others, again, who, upon the first discovery of truth, receive it as something congenial to their nature, and, accordingly, acquiesce in its requirements. This is the free grace of God: he bestoweth the same on whom he pleaseth. And God will lead whom he pleaseth to the true religion*."

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A request was made sometime ago by one Henry Martyn, a Christian Padre, that our spiritual friends (may God increase their number) would produce a few of their most convincing arguments in favour of the mission of Mohammed, from a consideration of which he might be enabled the more clearly to discover, and accordingly to embrace, the truth. Our celebrated Professor, hoping for a good result, complied with his request; and, in a short time, produced a brief but comprehensive Treatise on this subject, such as could not fail both to convince and satisfy every candid enquirer. The Padre does not appear to have received adany vantage from the perusal of this really unanswerable Tract; and has advanced, in reply to the

* Al Koran, Vol. II. p. 424, &c.

Professor's arguments, a few of his reasons for doubting; which are nothing more than false allegations and mistakes. He apologizes, at the same time, that notwithstanding the frequent and careful consideration which he had given to the subject, he was compelled to confess, that he had hitherto found nothing satisfactory trusts, that this confession will not be construed as resulting from an unwillingness to do justice to the question, but from the doubts which had arisen in his own mind.

and

It is on this account that the least of the least (and without any other qualification than that which he has derived from the doctrine of the Imams) Mohammed Ruza Ibn Mohammed Amín of Hamadán (may God be propitious to both) has, in obedience to the command of the king, &c.* and notwithstanding his numerous avocations, written the following reply. This he has done with all the expedition possible, and in as natural and easy a style as the subject would admit of; because it was his wish that the book might be both intelligible and serviceable to every class of readers; and that all might perceive the Padre's inability to advance any conclusive argument in favour of his opinions: and also, that what he takes for arguments are the mere effects

The passages omitted contain a long string of compli ments not worth the trouble of translating.

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