thenticity of the fufpected text in the first epiftle of John, as filly objections, begot by ignorance and nurfed by felf-conceit; he furely did not call to mind, for he is too well informed not to know, that his rude and indecent cenfures would fall on Newton, Locke, Whifton, Clarke, Bentley, Waterland, Clayton, Law, Lardner, Blackburne, and many other illuftrious men, all of whom have doubted either the doctrine, or the text.

We were forry to fee this author defcend, at times, to use fneers, taunts, farcafms, and other little arts of controversy, utterly unworthy of himfelf and his fubject. When he calls a

Unitarian chapel, the 'fhop in Effex-ftreet;' when he styles a Cambridge profeffor, the egregious Dr. Symonds ;' when he talks of an elegant fcholar, as another man who answers to the name of Wakefield;' all ferious and impartial perfons will think that he does no honour to himself, and no good to his caufe. "Such weapons of offence," (obferves the writer whose words we borrowed above,)" even in the mighty hands of Warburton were odious; but in thofe of his feeble imitators, they are both odious and contemptible."

Exclufively of thefe blemishes, we recommend the prefent pamphlet to all who are fond of feeing skill and dexterity difplayed in the management of an arduous enterprize; and who are defirous of knowing every thing that can be urged, to induce us to 'preferve our worship in the fame primitive ftate in which it was left by thofe, who cleanfed it from the errors of popery at the end of the 16th century."

ART. III. M. D'Ohffon's Hiftory of the Othoman Empire, Vol. I. [Article concluded. See Rev. for June laft, p. 165.]

o the doctrines, fucceed the rites of Iflamifm, which are contained in the 2d fection of this work. Mohammedans regard the moft punctual obfervance of thefe, as effential to their acceptance with the Supreme Being; hence they have beftowed peculiar attention on framing a great variety of rules, that all the minutiae refpecting them might be accurately adjufted. It is, indeed, a fact worthy of fome obfervation, that every religious code, excepting that which is to be found in the authentic records of the Chriftian faith, labours to impress the human mind with a high fenfe of the importance of its external rites and peculiar inftitutions. As to the extreme Jength and minutenefs of the ceremonial law of Mofes, and the fingular manner in which its obfervance was inforced, divines. have accounted for it by adverting to the fingular circum

ftances

ftances in which it was given, and the temporary purposes which it was defigned to anfwer. Being a part of a religion promulgated to a few tribes, who were juft detached from one idolatrous nation, and furrounded on every fide by others, its original appointment ftands juftified as a prudent measure; and as it profeffes only to be a temporary expedient, having in view a more perfect and unencumbered establishment, the ftrefs which it appears, at first fight, to lay on ordinances, muft not be regarded as an indifputable proof of their confummate importance: but to the Arabian impoftor and his followers, these confiderations do not feem to have prefented themselves. Notwithstanding his rejection of moft of the rites of Judaifm, he has evidently framed his fuperftition on its model; and, unlike the pure and fpirit-refining fyftem of the gofpel, made it to confift, in a great meafure, in ceremonies and ritual obfervances. About these, there have been violent and bloody contentions in the Mohammedan church; and it was the intention of the compilers of this part of their religious code, to terminate difputes, and to decree what fhould in future be deemed othodox.

It is observed, in the preface to this ritual of Muffulmanism, that it has a reference to five general objects; the profeffion of faith, prayer, eleemofynary tythes, fafting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca; the author, however, proceeds immediately to inform us that the first of these was paffed over in filence by Ibrahim Haleby; who, in digesting the fyftem of univerfal legiflation, fubftituted purification in its ftead, which he confiders as diftinct from prayer, though they are comprehended in the fame article, fince the law regards luftration as an act preparatory to the worthy performance of prayer, and of other religious duties.

This fection of the religious code is divided and fubdivided into feveral books and chapters. The first book treats of purifications, and confifts of five diftinct chapters. The firft mentions purifications in general; the fecond, waters pure or impure, and confequently fit or unfit for purification; the third, the ftate of legal impurity of women during particular periods; the fourth, the continued impurity of men and women, on account of different natural caufes; and the fifth, pulveral purifications.

The Mohammedans are taught to regard the natural fecretions from the human body, or those of animals, excepting tears, fweat, faliva, and the discharge from the nofe, as caufing subftantial uncleanneffes, and as rendering the believer legally impure, fo as to invalidate his prayers, if their quantity exceeds a drachm, either on his body or his clothes, or his oratory, that REV. SEPT. 1790.

с

is

is the place where he refts his feet and head, when he is proftrate, during the prayer Namaz. To remove thefe, washing is neceffary.

Ablution is next enjoined, as neceflary for the lefs unfubftantial uncleanneffes,' which are, firft, the common evacuations of the body; fecondly, accidental evacuations, fuch as worms, gravel, ftone, &c. the effect of natural indifpofition; thirdly, flatulence; fourthly, blood and whatever iffues from a wound in the parts confecrated to this ablution; fifthly, all vomiting of food, blood, water, or bile; fixthly, madnefs; feventhly, intoxication; eighthly, accidental weakness or abfence of the underftanding; ninthly, a burft of laughter in an adult perfon during the prayer Namaz, &c. &c.

From this enumeration, the reader may perceive how frequently the true Muffulman is obliged to fubmit to the ceremony of ablution; which confifts, firft, in washing the whole face from the top of the forehead to the throat and behind the ears; fecondly, in dipping three fingers or the whole hand in water, and raifing it to the head, to wash at least the fourth part of it; thirdly, in raifing the hand in the fame manner to the beard, to wafh it alfo, if not the whole, at least the fourth part of it; fourthly, in wafhing the hands and arms as far as the elbows; and, fifthly, in washing the feet up to the ancles. Under the article lotion, the Muffulman is commanded, if he wears a ring, to move it, that the part of his finger which it covers might be bathed.

We fhould exprefs our furprise that these and many other ridiculous ceremonies here mentioned, should be esteemed neceffary to fecure the efficacy of prayer, with fuch a Being as the Deity is defcribed to be in the fecond article of their faith; did we not recollect that, in decreeing rites and ceremonies, mankind in general appear to regard the Almighty Creator as compofed of human parts and paffions, rather than as a pure Spirit.

It is impoffible to perufe, without a fmile, the account of pure and impure waters, in chapter 2, in which it is obferved, that human hair and bones do not make waters impure; because, as the commentary relates, whenever the prophet was fhaved, his difciples fhared among them the fcrapings of his head.

Pulveral purifications are commanded to be used when pure water is wanting. The materials employed on thefe occations are fand, earth, duft, lime, collyrium, ftone, afhes, emeralds, coral, pewter, and copper.

To this book, M. D'Ohffon has annexed fome judicious and amufing obfervations on the modes of Mohammedan luftration. Cleanliness is not, as with us, recommended as

next to godliness, but as effential to it; and by the account here given of their baths and bathing, it appears that they have converted this branch of their religion into a great luxury. So delightful is the defcription given of it, that, were we thrown among the Othomans, we fhould be difpofed to compliment their religion by this act of external conformity.

The fecond book relates to prayer; the particulars respecting which are fo many, that they occupy eighteen chapters, each containing dogmas on various diftinct articles. We fhould far exceed our limits, were we to notice in the most tranfient manner, the multitude of proftrations and ceremonies which mark the piety of the Mohammedans. To their definition of prayer, no Christian could make an objection. "Prayer is the worship which the creature pays to the Creator as a token of homage, of gratitude, and of a folemn confeffion of his own nothingnefs when compared with the omnipotence of the eternal Deity,' p. 318. When the believer prays, he should be impreffed with an awful confcioufnefs of the prefence of the Deity, and entertain the profoundest fentiments of affection, fear, and reverence.' p. 321.

The view, however, which is here exhibited to us of their devotions, ferves to fhew that they do not regard their validity as merely refting on the state and affections of the mind.

The prayer Namaz may be confidered, in fome measure, as conftituting the whole liturgy of Muffulmanifm: but many rites are enjoined as requifite to make it acceptable. Hence no people are more ceremonious and regular in their devotions, than the followers of Mohammed. Five canonical periods for prayer occur in every twenty-four hours;-in the morning;at noon;-in the afternoon, (i. e. when the gnomon of the fun-dial makes a fhadow of double its own length)-at fun-fet, -and at night. For each of these, their law adduces a diftinct authority. The first they reverence as an inftitution of Adam, who offered up his thankfgivings for the returning light after his expulfion from paradifé:-the fecond as an inftitution of Abraham, who prayed about this time, after being delivered from offering up his fon :-the third, of Jonah, who prayed after coming from the fifh, (they do not fay it was a whale, and probably it was not,) that fwallowed him :-the fourth, of Jefus Chrift, who prayed in confequence of a celeftial voice, which addreffed him about this hour;-and the fifth, of Mofes, who prayed, having loft his way after the approach of darknefs.

That these canonical hours may be punctually obferved, a cryer, (Muezzinn,) the use of bells being prohibited, is appointed; who, from the little gallery that furrounds the Mina

rets, or flender fpires, which decorate the mofques, chaunts aloud at each of these periods, the Ezann*, or call to prayer. No fooner is he heard, than all the followers of the prophet, of every rank and description, relinquish their occupations; and proftrating themselves toward the keabé of Mecca, repeat the prayer Namaz. Tables, almanacks, or calendars, are conftructed to afcertain thefe periods with the greatest accuracy; which is the more neceffary, as they have three periods in each day, during which they are forbidden by their law to perform any religious act.

Without having feen this nation, (obferves our author), an imperfect idea must be formed of that uniform and fcrupulous attention which is paid both by the men and women, the great and fmall, the rich and poor, the ecclefiaftics and the laity, to fulfil the duty of thefe daily prayers. This numerous people appear to form only one religious fociety.

Minifters and statesmen throw afide their pens, and fufpend the most important occupations, till they have faid the Namaz on their carpet, Sedjéadé, in the apartment where they are engaged with bufinefs, and often before a crowd of officers. When the mafter of the houfe has finifhed his Namaz, he commonly refigns his place to the most diftinguished among thofe who are prefent, who discharge fucceffively this duty. Perfons of an inferior rank retire to another apartment.

This practice is fo univerfal, that no one dare omit it, for fear of being accused of irreligion. However vicious or incredulous any one may be, he is always attentive to the external duties of religion, efpecially if he be employed in the public fervice. In the eye of the nation, this, rather than his merit and talents, decides his character. The eulogy of a man in a high fituation is ufually thus expreffed, He is a good Muulman, he never omits any of the five daily Namazs. When any little irregularity is obferved in the conduct of any one, they exclaim, He is infidel, a falfe Muffulman, who neglects the duties of religion. It is eafy to imagine what must be the force of this opinion, even on minds the moft liberal, as well as on thofe who hold the highest rank and fituations in the empire. Hence, whether from piety or hypocrify, every Muffulman pays the Aricteft attention to public worship t.' p. 370.

Friday

*Thefe are the words of the Exann: Most high God! most high God! moft high God! most high God! I acknowledge that there is no other God except God: I acknowledge that there is no other God except God! I acknowledge that Mohammed is the Prophet of God! Come to prayer; come to prayer! Come to the temple of Salvation; come to the temple of falvation! Great God! great God! there is no God except

God.'

+The great ftrefs which the Mohammedans place on the regularity of their doârines, will be beft explained by the following anecdote: • Bayezid