and，ifIwasnotmoreafraidoftiring，thanofscandalisingyourlordship，IcouldquotetoyouexamplesofmodernchurchmenwhohaveendeavoredtojustifyfoullanguagebytheNewTestament，andcrueltybytheOld；nay，whatisexecrablebeyondimagination，andwhatstrikeshorrorintoeverymindthatentertainsduesentimentsoftheSupremeBeing，GodhimselfhasbeencitedforrallyingandinsultingAdamafterhisfall。Inothercasesthischargebelongstothepedantsofeverynation，andthetoolsofeveryparty。Whataccusationsofidolatryandsuperstitionhavenotbeenbrought，andaggravatedagainstMahometans？ThosewretchedChristianswhoreturnedfromthosewars，soimproperlycalledtheholywars，rumoredthesestoriesabouttheWest；andyoumayfind，insomeoftheoldchroniclersandromancewriters，aswellaspoets，theSaracenscalledPaynims；thoughsurelytheyweremuchfurtherofffromanysuspicionofpolytheism，thanthosewhocalledthembythatname。WhenMahomettheSecondtookConstantinopleinthefifteenthcentury，theMahometansbegantobealittlebetter，andbutalittlebetterknown，thantheyhadbeenbefore，tothesepartsoftheworld。Buttheirreligion，aswellastheircustomsandmanners，wasstrangelymisrepresentedbytheGreekrefugeesthatfledfromtheTurks：andtheterrorandhatredwhichthispeoplehadinspiredbytherapidityoftheirconquests，andbytheirferocity，madeallthesemisrepresentationsuniversallypassfortruths。
ManysuchinstancesmaybecollectedfromMaraccio’srefutationoftheKoran，andRelandushaspublishedaveryvaluabletreatiseonpurposetorefutethesecalumnies，andtojustifytheMahometans。Doesnotthisexampleinclineyourlordshiptothink，thattheheathensandtheArians，andotherheretics，wouldnotappearquitesoabsurdintheiropinions，norsoabominableintheirpractice，astheorthodoxChristianshaverepresentedthem；ifsomeRelanduscouldarise，withthematerialsnecessarytotheirjustificationinhishands？Hewhoreflectsonthecircumstancesthatattendedletters，fromthetimewhenConstantineinsteadofunitingthecharactersofemperorandsovereignpontiffinhimselfwhenhebecameChristian，astheywereunitedinhimandalltheotheremperorsinthePagansystemofgovernment，gavesomuchindependentwealthandpowertotheclergy，andthemeansofacquiringsomuchmore：hewhocarriesthesereflectionsonthroughallthelatterempire，andthroughthoseagesofignoranceandsuperstition，whereinitwashardtosaywhichwasgreatest，thetyrannyoftheclergyortheservilityofthelaity：hewhoconsiderstheextremeseverity，forinstanceofthelawsmadebyTheodosiusinordertostifleeverywritingthattheorthodoxclergy，thatis，theclergytheninfashiondisliked；orthecharacterandinfluenceofsuchapriestasGregorycalledthegreat，whoproclaimedwartoallheathenlearninginordertopromoteChristianverity；andflatteredBrunehault，andabettedPhocas：hewhoconsidersallthesethings，Isay，willnotbeatalosstofindthereasonswhyhistory，boththatwhichwaswrittenbefore，andagreatpartofthatwhichhasbeenwrittensincetheChristianera，iscometoussoimperfectandsocorrupt。
Whentheimperfectionisduetoatotalwantofmemorials，eitherbecausenonewereoriginallywritten，orbecausetheyhavebeenlostbydevastationsofcountries，extirpationsofpeople，andotheraccidentsinalongcourseoftime；orbecausezeal，malice，andpolicyhavejoinedtheirendeavorstodestroythempurposely；wemustbecontenttoremaininourignorance，andthereisnogreatharminthat。Securefrombeingdeceived，Icansubmittobeuninformed。Butwhenthereisnotatotalwantofmemorials，whensomehavebeenlostordestroyed，andothershavebeenpreservedandpropagated，thenweareindangerofbeingdeceived：andthereforehemustbeveryimplicitindeedwhoreceivesfortruethehistoryofanyreligionornation，andmuchmorethatofanysectorparty，withouthavingthemeansofconfrontingitwithsomeotherhistory。Areasonablemanwillnotbethusimplicit。Hewillnotestablishthetruthofhistoryonsingle，butonconcurrenttestimony。
Iftherebenonesuch，hewilldoubtabsolutely：iftherebealittlesuch，hewillproportionhisassentordissentaccordingly。Asmallgleamoflight，borrowedfromforeignanecdotes，servesoftentodiscoverawholesystemoffalsehood：andeventheywhocorrupthistoryfrequentlybetraythemselvesbytheirignoranceorinadvertency。ExampleswhereofIcouldeasilyproduce。
Uponthewholematter，inallthesecaseswecannotbedeceivedessentially，unlessweplease；andthereforethereisnoreasontoestablishPyrrhonism，thatwemayavoidtheridiculeofcredulity。