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نهم هفتم دزدي مکن هشتم تهمت و دروغ مكو

آرزوي زن بیگانه مکن دهم آرزوي مال بیگانه مکن

Ten commandments are often mentioned in the Gospel, of which the three first relate to the glory of God, the other seven to God's servants. I. Thou

fifth says, Kill no one. The meaning of which is this: That we should kill no animal, since God has created them to supply the wants of his servants, either with their flesh, in riding, or the like. The real scope of the precept, however, is, to deter from slaying one's neighbour, that we should neither put them to death, nor pain them in any way, either by word or deed. The comment given in the Dabistán is this:

انچه ظاهر این سخن است آنست که هیچ نوع جانور مکشید و تاویل کرده اند که آنچه در ملك خود بود آنرا بکشید مکشید) I read چه در و سودهاست وخلق را فواید در حیات و ممات پس این مکش اشارت بدانست که باشد نا حق نکشیم و نرنجانیم

اریم

برادر خود را که بني The scope of which is, that you should . نه بکردار و نه بگفتار

slay no animal. Which they interpret by saying, Slay no animal in your possession, because much advantage may be derived from it, whether alive or dead. The scope, therefore, of "slay no one," is, that we should not unjustly put to death our own brother, who is a son of Adam, nor put him to pain, either by word or deed. The other additions to the commandments found in the Dabistán are found in Xavier's comments, whence I am led to conclude, that the account in the Dabistán, has been copied from Xavier's book. Other coincidences may easily be pointed out were it necessary. The reader need not be informed, that in both instances the Roman Catholic division of the commandments is followed.

shalt love God above every thing. II. Swear not in the name of God without necessity, that is, accustom yourself to speak the truth. III. Keep the holy-days holy, that is, the Sunday and other notable days. IV. Honour and love your father and mother. V. Kill no sheep. VI. Commit

no whoredom.

VII. Steal not. VIII. Neither

accuse nor lie. IX. Have no desire for a strange woman. X. Have no desire for the wealth of another.

In the remainder of this section, the Christian and Mohammedan religions are compared. The facility of Islamism is compared to the production of a cook, who studies the palate of his master; while the less inviting character of Christianity is compared to that of a physician, who administers. nothing but salutary medicine to his patient, however disagreeable it may be to his taste. The abrogation and suspension of certain Mohammedan precepts are also compared with the unbending character of Christianity; whence a conclusion is drawn, that Christianity is to be preferred.

A little before this section concludes, the following reasons are given for keeping the first day of the week holy: "God did on this day create both the heaven and the earth. On this he also created the angels, and the light. This

than

is also the first day which God created. On this day he brought the Israelites forth from Egypt with great wonders by the hand of Moses. On this day too Jesus was born. On this day he received the name of Saviour. On this day also, he finished the work of salvation, by rising from the grave, after having suffered so many afflictions for sinners. On this day the Holy Ghost was sent down upon the Apostles. It is also said in the traditions, that the general judgment shall take place on this day. Hence it is, that Jesus has commanded this day to be kept more holy other. The section closes with a panegyric on the advantages arising from observing the days of the Saints and of the Holy Virgin; and stating that Islamism can boast of no such ordinances. In the sixth section of the last chapter we have a curious account of the election of the Pope, which is intended to shew, that he is the regular descendant of St. Peter, and vicar of Jesus Christ on earth; and that he is both the spiritual and temporal ruler on earth: that it is in his power to dethrone or set up kings at his pleasure, and to bind or loose both in earth and heaven.

any

After what has been said, a pretty good opinion may be formed of the character of Xavier's work; it may, therefore, be unnecessary to give

any more extracts. It is very evident, that the writer was a man of considerable ability and energy, and that he has spared no pains to recommend his religion to the Mohammedan or heathen reader; but, that he has trusted much more to his own ingenuity, than to the plain and unsophisticated declarations of the Holy Scriptures. His style is, upon the whole, correct, though occasionally interspersed with Europeanisms, but it never makes the most distant approach to what may be termed elegance. The book, which consists of about eight or nine hundred leaves in small folio, ends with the following words:

با تمام رسيد وانصرام انجاميد بعون عنايت ملك الوهاب مبحث این کتاب رباني ومذاکره این خطاب حقاني بهمته وتوفيقه و کمال کرمه در هزار و ششصد و نه از تولد c. The discussions& حضرت مسیح صاحب ما

of this holy book, and the memorial of its contents were brought to a conclusion by the grace and goodness of God in the year 1609, from the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord, &c."

NOTICE OF THE REPLY TO XAVIER'S BOOK.

After finding this book in the Library of Queen's College, I had the good fortune to lay my hand on the reply which was written to it a few

years

after its appearance. This reply consists of about

350 pages in duodecimo, written in a very careless and incorrect manner by some European. It bears the class mark of the Public Library Ll. 6. 28-29. We are informed, in the outset, that it was written in answer to a book which had appeared written by some European priest against the mission of Mohammed, and with the view of proving that no corruption had taken place in the Gospels. The writer, who

اقل المتحاجين الي رحمة الله الملك styles himself

66

The most mean .الغني احمد ابن زين العابدين العلوي

of those who stand in need of the mercy of a bounteous God, Ahmed Ibn Zain Elábidín Elálooi," declares his intention of refuting his opponent by proof drawn from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; the Pentateuch, and the Psalms; and then gives the title of his work,

The divine ، اللوامع الربانيه في رد الشبه النصرانيه

rays in refutation of Christian error." In the same page he gives the date, which he fixes in the month Moharram and the year of the Hejira 1031, which answers to the month of November, A. D. 1621.

The first argument combated by this writer is, an assertion on the part of Xavier, that Christians could not receive Mohammed because Christ had warned them of false prophets, who should here