Page:The Mohammedan system of theology (IA mohammedansyste00neal).pdf/224

 The Vatican and Alexandrian manuscripts, and also that of Beza, in the public library of the University at Cambridge, are assigned by the learned to an era prior to Mohammedanism, and contain nothing favourable to the pretensions of the Arabian prophet. Where nothing could be found substantiating his assumption, he is reduced to the necessity of imputing wilful corruption to the Scriptures, and bearing record of himself. And to a certain extent his plan succeeded. The divinity of his mission and the inspiration of the Koran being acknowledged, whatever might be the motives, he was strongly intrenched, and could safely assert what hardly any would dare to disprove. Superior power gave a sanction to his fabrications, or at least placed him beyond apprehension of consequences. Mohammed avails himself of this privilege to an unbounded extent and licence, changing facts in the Old and New Testa-