En Chriftiane, quid funt Chriftiani? &c. O Christian, what are Chriftians? and thus they answered themselves by defining them : Chriftians are fuch as thirst after innocent blood; Chriftians fuch as defire other men's lands, other men's wives, other men's gold and filver; and would hold out little wedges of gold, and fay, En Deus Chriftianorum, behold the God of the Chriftians! They would further add, that the Chriftians faid, that they were the children of God, and that after death they went to Heaven; upon which they gave this judgment, Qualis Deus ifte, qui tam impuros &fceleratos filios habet? What kind of God was the God of the Chriftians, which had fuch impure and wicked fons? And if he were like them, there could be no goodness in him. And if those Chriftians went to Heaven, they would not defire to go thither, for they would not be where the Chriftians were. And thus was the honour of God, the name of Chriftianity, by their most lewd and most cruel behaviour, derided, defamed, reproached, by those which were infidels and Paynims.

But to return again unto the people of EastIndia: Though the Chriftians which come amongst them do not fuch horrible things, yet they do enough to make Christianity itself evil fpoken of, as a religion that deferves more to be abhorred, than embraced. For truly it is a fad fight there to behold a drunken Christian, and a fober Indian; a temperate Indian, and a Christian

Christian given up to his appetite. An Indian that is just and fquare in his dealing, a Chriftian not fo; a laborious Indian, and an idle Christian; as if he was born only to fold his arms, or fruges tantum confumere natus, to devour corn, and wear out wool. O what a fad thing it is for Chriftians to come short of Indians, even in moralities; to come fhort of those whom themfelves believe come short of Heaven.

Now if any afk whence thofe moral virtues flow that so much adorn Heathens? I answer in those words of our Saviour fpoken to Peter in another cafe, Mat. xvi. 17. "that flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto them." But certainly it proceeds from more than these, and that is, from those remnants and remains, from those common impreffions and notions, which are fealed up in the minds of every one that hath a reasonable foul, a part of Adam's first integrity before his fall, a fubftance or bleffing in a tree that feemed to be dead; little fparks raked up (as it were) under many ashes, which can never die, nor be utterly extinguished, fo long as the foul liveth. Hence the Apostle fpeaks this of the Gentiles, Rom. ii. 14, 15." that they having not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, which fhews the works of the law written in their hearts, &c." But fo much be fpoken of the moralities of that people: I come now to take notice, SECTION

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Of their Religion, their Priefts, their Devotion, their Churches, &c.

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ND now I come to speak of their religion, I fhall first take notice of the Mahometan religion there profeffed. That of the Hindooes, or Heathens, fhall find a place wherein I may speak of it afterwards.

But firft of the Mahometan religion, because the great Mogul, with his grandees, and all other of quality about him, are Mahometans; which religion (if it deferves that name) took its first rife, and began to be profeffed in the world, about the year of Christ 620, as hath been obferved by many writers.

The ring-leader to it, and chief founder of it, was Mahomet, an Arabian by birth, born (as is faid) in a very obfcure place, and of very mean and low parentage, but a man fill'ḍ with all fubtilty and craft; who, (as they write) after that he had much enriched himfelf by wives, came to be the commander of a company of Arabian volunteers that followed Heraclius, the Emperor, in his Perfian wars but not long after himself and foldiers, falling first into mutiny, and after that to rebellion, (which was an excellent preparative to put an innovation or change on religion) and his fol

diers ftanding clofe unto him, he himself, with the help of Sergivus, a Chriftian by profesfion, but an heretical Neftorian Monk, and of Abdalla, a Jew, compofed a religion, that hath nothing in it, or that favours of nothing fo much, as of rude ignorance, and most palpable impofture; it being a monfter of many heads, a most damnable mixture of horrid impieties, if it be confidered altogether.

Yet because it contains much in it very pleafing to flesh and blood, and fooths up and complies exceedingly with corrupt nature, it wanted no followers prefently to embrace and affert it; fo that in a little time, like a gangrene, it fpread itself into many parts of Afia, and fince that hath enlarged itself like Hell; so that at this present day it hath more that profess it in the world, than those which profess Christianity, if we take in all collectively that do but bear the names of Chriftians the world over.

The poor people, that are fo much abused by the strong delufions of that great impoftor, fay for themfelves thus, that God hath fent three great prophets into the world, firft Mofes, and after him Chrift, and then Mahomet; and further add, that when Chrift left the world, he promised to fend a comforter into it, and that comforter was Mahomet, and therefore they close with him.

I fhall not need, amongst men profeffing Christianity, to write any thing in answer to R 2 thofe

those their frantic affertions, neither will I make it my business to enlarge myself in the difcovery of the Mahometan religion, because that hath been done by fo many hands already; only this I will fay of it, and not much more, that it hath will-worship for its foundation, fables and lyes for its fupport and a groundless prefumption for its fuperftructure. For its foundation, firft, abundance of willworship, manifefted in many outward performances, which are not hard to be performed, because the depraved will of man is ready preft and bent to perform things of that kind with readiness, chearfulness, and delight. The works of your father, the Devil, you will do, faith our Saviour of the obftinate Jews, do them, be they never so hard, with content and willingness.

Secondly, the Mahometan religion hath abundance of ftrange, monftrous fables and lyes for its fupport, their Alcoran (for the fubftance of it) being a fardle of foolish impoffibilities, fit to be received by none but fools and mad-men; for they can gain no more credit with thofe that are judicious, than what is related in the thiming story of that antient knight-errant, Bevis of Southampton, or in of Orlando the furious, where may poems be found fome fuch like parallel fictions; as of Aftalpho, who mounted a griffin, which carried him up immediately into the moon, where (they fay) Mahomet fome time was;

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