love God if not, you are wandering in error. Obey the commands of Jesus, and hate thou all sin. If thou hast a true love of religion, be not thou indifferent to baptism."

I feel it necessary to advert to the principles of the Mussulman Religion, in which I was brought up. I also shall notice some of the errors of the Hindoo and Portuguese.

These all place dependance on their external worship; and err in similar ways: more especially, the Faith of the Mussulmans is entirely on works; and they believe, that, by their works, they shall be saved. They depend on their fasting and their prayers; which, in fact, are altogether hypocrisy, and pride, and enmity: and also they depend on pilgrimages, and wars against infidels. If you attend to their manner of going on pilgrimage, it is not different from Hindoo Idolatry; and their religious wars are full of violence and murder, and their purifications deserve the name only of superstition and ill-will toward others; and they seek the accomplishment of their desires from vows and visits to tombs and the bones of dead men, which is altogether contrary to the Word of God: many of those dead men were, in their life-time, cheats and robbers.

With respect to their Fastings, and Prayers, and Pilgrimages, and Religious Wars, and Purifications, which they consider means of salvation, I would observe, that, in FASTING, they eat nothing from morning till night, and all day long are out of humour with their children and servants; so that it is become common to say of a man, when he is out of temper, "He is keeping fast:" and they complain one to another, of the debility, and thirst, and affliction which they endure. In short, according to this Faith, they pass the whole day preparing syrups, and juices of fruit, and walking in shady gardens; and, if asked where they are coming from, they answer from beguiling their fast: and, on whomsoever you look, they have their forehead anointed with

sandal perfume, and are anxiously watching the progress of the skies, and continually asking one another how much of the day remains. As soon as the sun is down, they fill themselves with all kinds of food, fat and lean, and vegetables and fruit; so that it would be no wonder if they were not hungry for two or three days to come. And again, when two or three gurries of the night remain, they take what they call the night meal; and eat so immoderately, that often some of them die of the Cholera Morbus: but whoever die in Ramazan, they consider sure of Heaven; for they fancy, that during the fasting-month, the door of heaven stands open, and whoever dies goes in straightway.

The Hindoos call that kind of fasting Britu; and neither eat nor drink the whole day and night, except at sun-rising: and if clouds prevent their seeing the sun rise, they do not eat for two or three days: their food at that time consists of vegetables, and buttermilk, and sweetmeats; but to eat rice or pulse would destroy the virtue of the month's fast.

I often also feel great concern for the Portuguese. They are called Christians but they too are in the same error. On fasting-days, they will not eat meat and butter; but they eat fish and eggs in abundance, prepared with oil.

The Saviour of all the servants of God is our Lord Jesus Christ; whom all Mahomedans acknowledge sinless, and free from all faults both mortal and venial. He has said-When ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance; for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast: Verily I say unto you, they have their reward; but thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. From this account, every wise man may understand which is spiritual instruction and which is carnal.

Let us now attend to their PRAYERS. This is one of their meritorious works and they have five appointed times for daily prayer-at day-break, after mid-day, evening, and dusk, and when night is set in: if the time goes by, then the prayer cannot be offered. There are thousands among them, who, in all their life, never prayed to God. Many of inferior rank, as weavers, and hard-ware sellers, and sellers of vegetables, who are noted as the inferior race of Mahomedans, prepare themselves for prayer in Ramazan; and, after Ramazan, leave off again, till the following year: on which account this proverb has become current "A Ramazan Prayer, and a Mohurrum Soldier ;" for, in the month of Mohurrum, these inferior classes, who never in their life take a sword in hand, arm themselves with a sword and shield, and pass themselves off as soldiers.

In prayer, the people for the most part repeat passages from the Koran in Arabic, and know not what they babble out. Their worship is altogether erroneous.

I once saw a person in Agra, on the banks of the Junina, with a long string of beads in his hands, repeating prayers in silence with his eyes shut: I asked him what he was saying: he began then to repeat aloud a verse in the Koran, of which he said this was the translation "Poh! your debt is a trifle: I will pay it, with the interest." I was astonished on hearing this, and supposed he was deranged. I asked him who taught him this daily prayer: he answered, My Spiritual Guide.” I asked," Of what class are you?" he answered, "A master butcher: I have lost a great sum in play; and I told my Spiritual Guide of it, who wrote this prayer for me, and told me if I would repeat it morning and evening for forty days, the Khwaja Khijur (the Lord of the Waters) would pay my debt."

In like manner, the Hindoos make "poojahs," as the Mahomedans pray; and bathe in the river in the cold; and,

sitting naked, repeat the names of their gods: often, aged men and women die of cold, in these exercises: in this they fancy the deceased is gone to heaven; they have invented such modes of worship as render life a torment; as, for instance, the "Churuck Poojah," of which it is not necessary here to speak. The Mahomedans have also invented a mode of praying, with the heels suspended upward and the head down; which, in fact, is a kind of "Churuck Poojah.” I have heard that the Portuguese Priests also often scourge their own backs, and put thorns into their beds; so that, in short, error is of the same nature in them all. It seems that these people, who thus torment their own bodies, suppose that God is now inflicting by their own hands, that punishment which they know is to come upon them.

Thousands of Mahomedans know merely how to read the letters of the Koran, but know nothing of its meaning; and, throughout it all, there is no mention of teaching the heart, or of forgiving sins, except by good works.

All these keep up the custom of saying prayers that they may be seen of men. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who came into the world to make known the Word of God, saysWhen ye pray, be not as the hypocrites; for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closel; and pray to thy Father, which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. In fine, whoever has this spiritual taste will certainly forsake such praying, as is full of bypocrisy and carnality.

In respect of the PILGRIMAGES of the Mahomedans, they undertake long and distant journeys; and when the pilgrims approach the Caaba, which was formerly an idol temple, they put on clothes without seam, but wrapped

round them-they do not cut nor comb their hair, nor clean themselves -and call this custom Honouring the Caaba. On arriving there on the day of pilgrims, they sacrifice camels and oxen, and sheep with large tails. In the Caaba, is a large stone, which they call "Hugar uswud," literally "Black Stone:" that, they kiss. And, perhaps from that custom, the Hindoos have adopted the "Calee Poojah," when they sacrifice oxen and goats on a black stone. When a Mahomedan has returned from a pilgrimage, he fancies himself freed from sin. From their custom of sacrificing, it seems very clear, that they have adopted the instruction contained in the Law of Moses, and which had respect to the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Hindoos, instead of Pilgrimage to Mecca, have adopted Pilgrimages to Holy Places. They also undertake long journeys; and endure much hardship, in visiting Gyah, and Juggernaut, and Budrenaut, and many other places and this, not for once; but, often in their life, they undertake these journeys. It is evident, from their frequent repetitions of those pilgrimages, that they derive no certainty of salvation from them.

And it is a lamentable circumstance, that an Armenian Priest has lately come to this country from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; and told, in my hearing, such stories about the tomb where the Lord Jesus lay for three days, as I never heard from any religious person: and the Armenians consider him true and worthy of credit.

I have thought it right to point out the errors of these various sects, to shew how all those who walk contrary to the Gospel agree as to their religion: but those, who agree in the faith of the Gospel, walk in one spiritual manner, and they have one doctrine.

Let us now attend to the RELIGIOUS WARS of the Mahomedans.

According to their faith, it is a

great and good work to attack the Jews, or Christians, or Hindoos; and to force them to become Mahomedans. If they will by any means agree to become Mahomedans, so much the better: if not, they cut them off with the sword; and, whatever they possess, plunder and take away: and these sentiments they consider lawful, and a part of such property they give to the descendants of the Prophet. Alas for such! Our Lord Jesus Christ has said-He, that taketh the sword, shall perish by the sword. Attend well to the history of the founders of these practices. They, for the most part, perished by the sword: and, even now, in Lucknow, in religious contentions, they often resort to the sword; and many, in their evil tempers, are slain. Our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded-Let your conversation be yea, yea, and nay, nay; for whatever is more than these is of evil.

Another rule of their faith is ExTERNAL PURIFICATION, and many kinds of washing.

In like manner, the Hindoos are obliged by their religion to many kinds of bathing: some are held in such bondage, that, after every call of nature, they must wash in the river; and it is altogether to be lamented, that they take no pains after the purification of the heart, Our Lord Jesus Christ has said-Ye hypocrites! first make the inside of the cup and platter clean, that the outside may be clean also: and again-Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! ye are like whited sepulchres, which are fair without, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness: in like manner, ye uppear righteous to men, but inwardly are full of deceit and sin.

I have, for brevity's sake, omitted noticing many foolish practices current in these religions, which, were I to describe separately, would amount to a volume. Thus the Hindoos depend on their good works, their pilgrimages, for salvation and forgiveness. And the Portuguese depend much on the intercessions of the Vir

proceeds-And all things ure of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. From this verse, we learn that God so loved the world, that He sent His Son into the world; so that we, who were as rebellious subjects and deserving of the wrath of God, through the Lord Jesus Christ making us obedient subjects and deserving of protection are saved from the divine wrath. And the Lord Jesus Christ, at the time of His ascension into heaven, commanded-Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; and teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Those who obeythis command, and endeavour to teach all nations with this design, that, through the Lord Jesus and by the grace of the Holy Spirit, they may reconcile all creatures to the true God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three persons and one God, and that all may obtain the knowledge of these three, such are worthy of this service.

In the 19th verse, the Apostle Paul affirms that God hath reconciled the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation; from which we learn, that whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, his sins are forgiven, and he is accounted righteous before God through faith; and, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from intercourse with those who have obtained the grace of the Holy Spirit, attains to those views of thedignity of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the peculiarities of the Gospel, from which alone the knowledge of Christ can be learned as it ought to be as from one lamp another can be lighted, and from a second, a third, and from a third, a fourth, till light may be afforded to many before sitting in darkness. And the Lord Jesus Christ has said, in respect of those who believe in Him-Ye are the light of the world a city set upon a hill cannot be

hid: and having lighted a candle, they place it upon a candlestick that it may give light to others. So ought a preacher of the Gospel, as a faithful steward of God, to endeavour faithfully to make known the word of reconciliation to rebellious people, and not be heedless or idle; that, when his Lord comes, He may find him engaged in his work; and lest he be proved unfaithful in his Lord's presence, and what was entrusted to him be taken away, and he proved unworthy of trust.

In the 20th verse, the Apostle Paul makes known-Now then we are ambassadors for Christ: as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. From which we are instructed in what our Lord Jesus said in respect of his Apostles, Ye are the salt of the earth, viz. as, by salt, the earth is preserved from corruption; so through those, who have the work of the ambassadors of Christ committed to them by the grace of the Holy Spirit, such spiritual instruction is imparted, that all, who embrace that instruction and believe on the Lord, receive the adoption of children, and, their souls being delivered from a death in sin, gain everlasting life.

Those who obtain this blessing will, with all entreaty and gentleness, excite in others a desire after the Christian Religion. Therefore, whosoever will fulfil the work of preaching the Gospel, it behoves him, that, with all gentleness and tenderness, he teach all nations: as an Ambassador, with wisdom he will reduce to obedience rebellious subjects, so that his Prince's glory and great mercy may appear to those rebels that, hearing of his glory and greatness, they may fear: and, being made acquainted with his inercy, they may, through his Son, return to obedience. Those holy persons who embrace the work of Ambassadors of Jesus Christ, what comparison is there between them and the ambassadors of earthly kings?

It appears from the Gospel, that