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that men are not justified by their faith in Christ Jesus; that there is no original sin; that infants ought not to be baptized, and that immersion is the only mode of baptism; that every one has authority to preach and administer the sacraments; that men are not obliged to pay respect to magistrates; that all things ought to be in common, and that it is lawful to marry many wives.

and confess an error.-12. Beware of a fanciful temper of mind, and a humorous conduct.-13. Have a care of trifling with things important and momentous, or of sporting with things awful and sacred.-14. Ever maintain a virtuous and pious frame of spirit.-15. Watch against the pride of your own reason, and a vain conceit of your own intellectual powers, with the neglect of divine aid and blessing.-16. Offer up, therefore, your daily requests to God, the Father of Lights, that he would bless all your attempts and labours in reading, study, and conversation. Watts on the Mind, chap. i. Dr. John Edwards's Uncertainty, Deficiency, and Corrup tion of Human Knowledge; Reid's Intellectual Powers of Man; Stennett's Sermon on Acts xxvi. 24, 25.

KNOWLEDGE is defined by Mr. Locke to be the perception of the connexion and agreement, or disagreement and repugnancy of our ideas. It also denotes learning, or the improvement of our faculties by reading; experience, or the acquiring new ideas or truths, by seeing a variety of objects, and making observations upon them in our own minds. No man, says the admirable Dr. Watts, is obliged to learn and know KNOWLEDGE OF GOD is often every thing; this can neither be sought taken for the fear of God and the whole nor required for it is utterly impossible: of religion. There is, indeed, a specuyet all persons are under some obliga- lative knowledge, which consists only in tion to improve their own understand- the belief of his existence, and the acing, otherwise it will be a barren desert, knowledgment of his perfections, but or a forest overgrown with weeds and has no influence on the heart and conbrambles. Universal ignorance, or infi- duct. A spiritual saving knowledge nite error, will overspread the mind consists in veneration for the Divine which is utterly neglected and lies with- Being, Psal. lxxxix. 7. love to him as out any cultivation. The following rules, an object of beauty and goodness, Zech. therefore, should be attended to for the ix. 17. humble confidence in his mercy improvement of knowledge. 1. Deeply and promise, Psal. ix. 10. and sincere, possess your mind with the vast im- uniform, and persevering obedience to portance of a good judgment, and the his word, 1 John ii. 3. It may farther be rich and inestimable advantage of right considered as a knowledge of God, the reasoning.-2. Consider the weaknesses, Father; of his love, faithfulness, power, failings, and mistakes of human nature &c. Of the Son, as it relates to the in general.-3. Be not satisfied with a dignity of his nature, 1 John v. 20. the slight view of things, but to take a wide suitability of his offices, Heb. ix. the survey now and then of the vast and un- perfection of his work, Psalm Ixviii. 18. limited regions of learning, the variety the brightness of his example, Acts x. of questions and difficulties belonging to 38. and the prevalency of his intercesevery science.-4. Presume not too sion, Heb. vii. 25. Of the Holy Ghost, as much upon a bright genius, a ready wit, equal with the Father and the Son of and good parts; for this, without study, || his agency as enlightener and comforter; will never make a man of knowledge.—as also in his work of witnessing, sancti5. Do not imagine that large and labo-fying, and directing his people, John xv. rious reading, and a strong memory, xvi. 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18. John iii. 5, 6. Rom. can denominate you truly wise, without viii. 16. This knowledge may be conmeditation and studious thought.-6. Be sidered as experimental, 2 fim. i. 12, not so weak as to imagine that a life of fiducial, Job xiii. 15, 16. affectionate, 1 learning is a life of laziness.-7. Let the John jii. 19. influential, Ps. ix. 10. Matt. hope of new discoveries, as well as the v. 16 humiliating, Isa. vi. Job xlii. 5, 6. satisfaction and pleasure of known satisfying, Psal. xxxvi. 7 Prov. iii. 17. truths, animate your daily industry.-8. and superior to all other knowledge, Do not hover always on the surface of Phil. iii. 8. The advantages of religious things, nor take up suddenly with mere knowledge are every way great. appearances.-9. Once a day, especially forms the basis of true honour and feliin the early years of life and study, call city. "Not all the lustre of a noble yourselves to an account what new ideas birth, not all the influence of wealth, not you have gained.-10. Maintain a con- all the pomp of titles, not all the splenstant watch, at all times, against a dog- dour of power, can give dignity to the matical spirit.-11. Be humble and cou-soul that is destitute of inward improverageous enough to retract any mistake,ment. By this we are allied to angels.

It

ed with a thousand glorious objects, of which the imagination can as yet have no conception."

and are capable of rising for ever in the | to endless bliss, so it will survive that scale of being. Such is its inherent mighty day when all worldly literature worth, that it hath always been repre- and accomplishments shall for ever sented under the most pleasing images. cease. At that solemn period, in which In particular, it hath been compared to the records and registers of men shall light, the most valuable and reviving be destroyed, the systems of human part of nature's works, and to that glo- policy be dissolved, and the grandest rious luminary which is the most beau-works of genius die, the wisdom which tiful and transporting object our eyes is spiritual and heavenly shall not only behold. If we entertain any doubts con- subsist, but be increased to an extent cerning the intrinsic value of religious that human nature cannot in this life adknowledge, let us look around us, and mit. Our views of things, at present, are we shall be convinced how desirable it obscure, imperfect, partial, and liable to is to be acquainted with God, with error; but when we arrive to the realms spiritual, with eternal things. Observe of everlasting light, the clouds that the difference between a cultivated and shadowed our understanding will be a barren country. While the former is removed; we shall behold with amaza lovely, cheerful, and delightful sight, ing clearness the attributes, ways, and the other administers a spectacle of works of God; shall perceive more dishorror. There is an equal difference be- tinctly the design of his dispensations; tween the nations among whom the shall trace with rapture the wonders of principles of piety prevail, and the na-nature and grace, and become acquainttions that are overrun with idolatry, superstition, and error. Knowledge, also, is of great importance to our personal and private felicity: it furnishes a pleasure that cannot be met with in the possession of inferior enjoyments; a fine entertainment, which adds a relish to prosperity, and alleviates the hour of distress. It throws a lustre upon greatness, and reflects an honour upon pover ty. Knowledge will also instruct us how to apply our several talents for the benefit of mankind. It will make us capable of advising and regulating others. Hence we may become the lights of the world, and diffuse those benificent beams around us, which shall shine on benighted travellers, and discover the path of rectitude and bliss. This knowledge, also, tends to destroy bigotry and enthusiasm. To this we are indebted for the important change which hath been made since the beginning of the reformation. To this we are indebted for the general cultivation and refinement of the understandings of men. It is owing to 1. Koran, division of the. The Kothis state that even arbitrary govern- ran is divided into one hundred and fourments seem to have lost something of teen larger portions of very unequal their original ferocity, and that there is a length, which we call chapters, but the source of improvement in Europe which Arabians Sowar, in the singular Sura; will, we hope, in future times, shed the a word rarely used on any other occamost delightful influences on society, sion, and properly signifying a row, or and unite its members in harmony, a regular series; as a course of bricks peace, and love. But the advantages of in building, or a rank of soldiers in an knowledge are still greater, for it points army, and is the same in use and imout to us an eternal felicity. The seve- port with the Sura, or Tora, of the ral branches of human science are in-Jews; who also call the fifty-three sectended only to bless and adorn our pre- tions of the Pentateuch Sedarim, a word sent existence; but religious knowledge || of the same signification. These chapbids us provide for an immortal being, ters are not, in the manuscript copies, sets the path of salvation before us, and distinguished by their numerical order, is our inseparable companion in the but by particular titles, which are taroad to glory. As it instructs in the wayken sometimes from a peculiar subject

In order to increase in the knowledge of God, there must be dependence on Him from whom all light proceeds, James i. 6. attention to his revealed will, John v. 39. a watchful spirit against corrupt affections, Luke xxí. 34. a humble frame of mind, Ps. xxv. 9. frequent meditation, Ps. civ. 34. a persevering design for conformity to the divine image, Hos. vi. 3. Charnock's Works, vol. ii. p. 381; Saurin's Serm. vol. i. ser. 1; Gill's Body of Div. vol. iii. p. 12. oct.; Tillotson's Serm. ser. 113; Watts's Works, vol. i. ser. 45; Hall's Sermon on the Advantages of Knowledge to the Lower Classes.

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. See OMNISCIENCE.

KORAN, or ALCORAN, the Scripture or Bible of the Mahometans, containing the revelations and doctrines of their pretended prophet.

and distinguishing characteristic of their religion, it being counted a sort of impiety to omit it. The Jews, and eastern Christians, for the same purpose, make use of similar forms. But Mahomet probably took this form from the Persian Magi, who began their books in these words, Benam Yesdam bakshaishgher dadar; that is, In the name of the most merciful just GOD. There are twenty-nine chapters of the Koran which have this peculiarity, that they begin with certain letters of the alphabet, some with single ones, others with more. These letters the Mahometans believe to be the peculiar marks of the Koran, and to conceal several profound mysteries; the certain understanding of which, the more intelligent confess, has not been communicated to any mortal, their prophet only excepted: notwithstanding which, some take the liberty of guessing at their meaning by that species of cabala called by the Jews Notarikon.

treated of, or person mentioned therein; usually from the first word of note, exactly in the same manner as the Jews have named their Sedarim; though the word from which some chapters are denominated be very distant towards the middle, or perhaps the end, of the chapter; which seems ridiculous. But the occasion of this appears to have been, that the verse or passage wherein such word occurs, was, in point of time, revealed and committed to writing before the other verses of the same chapter which precede it in order; and the title being to the chapter before it was completed, or the passages reduced to their present order, the verse from whence such title was taken did not always happen to begin the chapter. Some chapters have two or more titles, occasioned by the difference of the copies. Some of them being pretended to have been revealed at Mecca, and others at Medina, the noting this difference makes a part of the title. Every chapter is divided into smaller portions, 2. Koran, general design of the. The of very unequal length also, which we general design of the Koran was to unite customarily call verses; but the Ara- the professors of the three different rebic word is Ayat, the same with the ligions, then followed in the populous Hebrew Ototh, and signifies signs or country of Arabia, (who, for the most wonders; such as the secrets of God, part; wandered without guides, the far his attributes, works, judgments, and greater number being idolaters, and the ordinances, delivered in those verses; rest Jews and Christians, mostly of ermany of which have their particular roneous opinion,) in the knowledge and titles, also, imposed in the same manner worship of one God, under the sanction as those of the chapters. Besides these of certain laws and ceremonies, partly unequal divisions, the Mahometans of ancient, and partly of novel instituhave also divided their Koran into sixty tion, enforced by the consideration of equal portions, which they call Anzab, rewards and punishments both temporal in the singular Hizb, each subdivided and eternal; and to bring them all to into four equal parts; which is likewise the obedience of Mahomet, as the proan imitation of the Jews, who have phet and ambassador of God; who, an ancient division of their Mishna into after the repeated admonitions, prosixty_portions, called Massictoth. But mises, and threats of former ages, was the Koran is more usually divided into sent at last to establish and propagate thirty sections only, named Ajaza, from God's religion on earth; and to be acthe singular Joz, each of twice the knowledged, chief pontiff in spiritual length of the former, and in like man- matters, as well as supreme prince in ner subdivided into four parts. These temporal. The great doctrine, then, divisions are for the use of the readers of the Koran is the unity of God, to of the Koran in the royal temples, or in restore which, Mahomet pretended, the adjoining chapels where the em- was the chief end of his mission; it perors and great men are interred; of being laid down by him as a fundamenwhom there are thirty belonging to tal truth, That there never was, nor every chapel, and each reads his sec- ever can be, more than one true orthotion every day; so that the whole Koran dox religion : that, though the particu is read over once a day. Next after lar laws or ceremonies are only temthe title, at the name of every chapter porary and subject to alteration, accordexcept only the ninth, is prefixed the ing to the divine direction; yet the subfollowing solemn form, by the Mahome- stance of it, being eternal truth, is not tans, called the Bismallah." In the liable to change, but continues immutaname of the most merciful God;"bly the same; and that, whenever this which form they constantly place at religion became neglected or corrupted the beginning of all their books and in essentials, God had the goodness to writings in general, as a peculiar mark | re-inform and re-admonish mankind

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thereof by several prophets, of whom | 4, 5.) But it matters not so much who Moses and Jesus were the most distin- had it first as who observes it best. guished, till the appearance of Ma- The caliph Hassan, son of Hali, being homet, who is their seal, and no other at table, a slave let fall a dish of meat to be expected after him. The more reeking hot, which scalded him severeeffectually to engage people to hearken ly. The slave fell on his knees rehearsto him, great part of the Koran is em- ing these words of the Alcoran; "Paraployed in relating examples of dread- || dise is for those who restrain their anful punishments formerly inflicted by ger." "I am not angry with thee," God on those who rejected and abused answered the caliph. "And for those his messengers; several of which stories, who forgive offences against them," or some circumstances of them, are ta- continues the slave, 66 I forgive thee ken from the Old and New Testaments, thine," replies the caliph. "But, above but many more from the apocryphal all, for those who return good for evil," books and traditions of the Jews and adds the slave. "I set thee at liberty," Christians of those ages, set up in the rejoined the caliph; "and I give thee Koran as truths, in opposition to the ten dinars." There are also a great Scriptures, which the Jews and Chris- number of occasional passages in the tians are charged with having altered; Alcoran relating only to particular and, indeed, few or none of the relations emergencies. For this advantage Maof circumstances in the Koran were in-homet had, by his piecemeal method vented by Mahomet, as is generally of receiving and delivering his revelasupposed; it being easy to trace the tions, that, whenever he happened to greatest part of them much higher, as be perplexed with any thing, he had a the rest might be, were more of these certain resource in some new morsel of books extant, and were it worth while revelation. It was an admirable conto make the inquiry. The rest of the trivance to bring down the whole AlAlcoran is taken up in prescribing ne- coran only to the lowest heaven, not to cessary laws and directions, frequent earth; since, had the whole been pubadmonitions to moral and divine virtues, lished at once, innumerable objections the worship and reverence of the Su- would have been made, which it would preme Being, and resignation to his have been impossible for him to have will. One of their most learned com- solved but as he received it by parcels, mentators distinguishes the contents of as God saw fit they should be published the Alcoran into allegorical and literal: for the conversion and instruction of under the former are comprehended all the people, he had a sure way to anthe obscure, parabolical, and enigmati-swer all emergencies, and to extricate cal passages, with such laws as are re- himself with honour from any difficulty pealed or abrogated; the latter, such as which might occur. are clear, and in full force. The most 3. Koran, history of the. It is the excellent moral in the whole Alcoran, common opinion, that Mahomet, asinterpreters say, is that in the chapter sisted by one Sergius, a monk, compoAlalraf, viz. "Show mercy, do good to sed this book; but the Mussulmans beall, and dispute not with the ignorant;"lieve it as an article of their faith, that or, as Mr. Sale renders it, Use indul- the prophet, who, they say, was an gence, command that which is just, and illiterate man, had no concern in indiwithdraw far from the ignorant. Ma- ting it; but that it was given him by homet, according to the authors of the God, who, to that end, made use of the Keschaf, having begged of the angel ministry of the angel Gabriel; that, Gabriel a more ample explication of however, it was communicated to him this passage, received it in the follow-by little and little, a verse at a time, ing terms: "Seek him who turns thee and in different places, during the course out, give to him who takes from thee, of 23 years." And hence," say they, pardon him who injures thee; for God" proceed that disorder and confusion will have you plant in your souls the roots of his chief perfections." It is easy to see that this commentary is borrowed from the Gospel. In reality, the necessity of forgiving enemies, though frequently inculcated in the Alcoran, is of a later date among the Mahometans, than among the Christians; among those later than among the heathens; and to be traced originally among the Jews, (See Exodus, xxxiii.

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visible in the work;" which, in truth, are so great, that all their doctors have never been able to adjust them; for Mahomet, or rather his copyist, having put all the loose verses promiscuously in a book together, it was impossible ever to retrieve the order wherein they were delivered. These 23 years which the angel employed in conveying the Alcoran to Mahomet, are of wonderful service to his followers; inasmuch as

built on reason. They have likewise their casuists, and a kind of canon law, wherein they distinguish between what is of divine and what of positive right. They have their beneficiaries, too, chaplains, almoners, and canons, who read a chapter every day out of the Alcoran in their mosques, and have prebends annexed to their office. The hatib of the mosque is what we call the parson of the parish; and the scheiks are the preachers, who take their texts out of the Alcoran.

4. Koran, Mahometan faith concerning. It is the general belief among the Mahometans that the Koran is of divine original; nay, that it is eternal and uncreated; remaining, as some express

they furnish them with an answer to such as tax them with those glaring contradictions of which the book is full, and which they piously father upon God himself; alleging that, in the course of so long a time, he repealed and altered several doctrines and precepts which the prophet had before received of him. M. D'Herbelot thinks it probable, that when the heresies of the Nestorians, Eutychians, &c. had been condemned by œcumenical councils, many bishops, priests, monks, &c. being driven into the deserts of Arabia and Egypt, furnished the impostor with passages, and crude ill-conceived doctrines, out of the Scriptures; and that it was hence that the Alcoran became so full of the wild and erroneous opinions of those here-it, in the very essence of God: and the tics. The Jews also, who were very first transcript has been from evernumerous in Arabia, furnished mate- lasting, by God's throne, written on a rials, for the Alcoran; nor is it without table of vast bigness, called the presome reason that they boast twelve of served table, in which are also recorded their chief doctors to have been the the divine decrees, past and future; authors of this work. The Alcoran, that a copy from this table, in one vowhile Mahomet lived, was only kept in lume upon paper, was by the ministry loose sheets: his successor, Abubeker, of the angel Gabriel sent down to the first collected them into a volume, and lowest heaven, in the month of Ramacommitted the keeping of it to Haphsa, dan, on the night of power, from whence the widow of Mahomet, in order to be Gabriel revealed it to Mahomet in parconsulted as an original; and there be- cels, some at Mecca, and some at Meing a good deal of diversity between dina, at different times, during the space the several copies already dispersed of twenty-three years, as the exigency throughout the provinces, Ottoman, of affairs required; giving him, however, successor of Abubeker, procured a the consolation to show him the whole great number of copies to be taken from (which they tell us was bound in silk, that of Haphsa, at the same time sup- and adorned with gold and precious pressing all the others not conformable stones of paradise) once a year; but in to the original. The chief differences the last year of his life he had the fain the present copies of this book con- vour to see it twice. They say, that sist in the points, which were not in use only ten chapters were delivered entire, in the time of Mahomet and his imme- the rest being revealed piecemeal, and diate successors; but were added since, written down from time to time by the to ascertain the reading, after the ex- prophet's amanuensis, in such a part of ample of the Massoretes, who added such and such a chapter, till they were the like points to the Hebrew texts of completed, according to the directions Scripture. There are seven principal of the angel. The first parcel that was editions of the Alcoran, two at Medina, revealed is generally agreed to have one at Mecca, one at Cufa, one at Bas-been the first five verses of the ninetysora, one in Syria, and the common, or vulgate edition. The first contains 6000 verses, the others surpassing this number by 200 or 236 verses; but the number of words and letters is the same in all; viz. 77,639 words, and 323,015 letters. The number of commentaries on the Alcoran is so large, that the-Let none touch but they who are clean. bare titles would make a huge volume. Ben Oschair has written the history of them, entitled, Tarikh Ben Oschair. The principal among them are, Reidhaori, Thaalebi, Zamalchschari, and Bacai. The Mahometans have a positive theology built on the Alcoran and tradition, as well as a scholastical one

sixth chapter. In fine, the book of the Alcoran is held in the highest esteem and reverence among the Mussulmans. They dare not so much as touch the Alcoran without being first washed, or legally purified; to prevent which an inscription is put on the cover or label,

It is read with great care and respect, being never held below the girdle. They swear by it; take omens from it on all weighty occasions, carry it with them to war; write sentences of it on their banners; adorn it with gold and precious stones; and knowingly not suffer it to be in the possession of any

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