The Gospel is superior to the Koran,
Chapter 16 ^.

(3) The superiority of the Gospel over the Quran can be easily recognized from what has been said above about the Quran. For it has been shown above that the Quran is not the law of God because neither the old nor the new law attests to it, and because it agrees with others neither in style nor in meaning , and because it contradicts itself, and because no miracle attests to it , and because it is not rational , and because it contains open falsehoods , and because it is violent , and because it is inordinate , and because it is evil , and because it is uncertain .

(10) For all these things have been briefly proved above by the Quran itself. But in the same Quran they are better shown to the readers, so that I can say with confidence, "If you do not want to believe me, read in the Quran" ^[1] .

(12) But the opposites of these concerning the doctrine of the Gospel are manifestly clear. For even as Mohammed commended Christ | 215v | most excellently above all other prophets who ever were or will be, so he also magnified the doctrine of the Gospel above all other scriptures of God. And we know that there is never so strong and robust a testimony to doctrine or life as when he speaks of praise who attempts to bring charges ^[2] . And Mohammed himself says in the Koran in the chapter Elmeyde : «We have clearly limited the traces of men through Jesus the son of Mary, the most truthful, and We gave him the Gospel in which is guidance and light and manifest truth». In many places also in the Koran the Gospel is excellently commended .

(23) Yet the gospel itself manifests itself most excellently to the world in every language and in every province, so that I may confidently dare to say of it to the Saracens: "If you want to believe your Mohammedan gospel or not, read the gospel ." And because, as it is said in the Koran in the chapter Elenfal : "God wills that truth be verified by his word and that the government of heretics be overthrown and that truth be verified and that vanity vanish," God provided and dispensated lest the world perish through ignorance, so that that law which was generally and alone necessary for all, namely the law of grace, the law of the gospel, should not be written originally in one place but in different provinces, not in one idiom but in different and general languages, namely Hebrew, Greek and Latin, and after that it should be faithfully translated into all languages. And at the end of the gospel, Christ commanded his disciples to preach the same gospel effectively throughout the whole world, which of course, in order that they might be able to accomplish, he gave them the gift of tongues and the power of miracles.

(37) The Quran, however, says that it was given by God only in Arabic , and the Muslims hold most certainly that no one can understand it unless he knows the Arabic language; and it is clear that not everyone knows the Arabic language nor can they learn it ^[3] . And in the Quran it is written, as was shown above , that no one can be saved except in the law of the Muslims. And why would God want only Arabs to be saved or those who know the Arabic language ? ^[4]

(43) But the law of Christians, which is written in all languages, says that "God wants all men to be saved." Therefore, the Saracens, who are said to be saved in name only, as was said above , and also all others who really want to be saved, should know that Christ is the Savior, read the Gospel in whatever language they want, and they will find almost everything contrary to what was said above and shown about the Koran.

(49) They will find that the law of Moses and the prophets testify to it, and that the gospel has no contradiction to them, but is the completion and perfection of all the others ^[5] .

(52) They will also find in the Gospel a style that is not rhythmic or metrical, but simple and common, not indeed for the simplicity of the writers but for the benefit of the readers, so that it can be conveniently understood by any ignorant and simple person. It also has a style that is not flattering nor contains unusual or vulgar words, but common and most honest.

(56) But the Gospel contains no fable at all, but very true and proper sentences ; and if it sometimes proposes similes, it is clearly shown from the text itself that it speaks by simile. Moreover, it agrees in its sentence not only with other sacred writings, as has been said, but also with philosophers who have treated demonstratively or rationally of God and of the virtues and of the ultimate end of man.

(63) He adds, however, something very profound to which natural and human reason cannot reach. Yet he says nothing at all which can be opposed by demonstration, because since demonstration contains the true, nothing can be contrary to it except the false.

(66) Indeed, there is no contradiction in the gospel, so that not only does one gospel agree with itself, but also all four gospels simply agree in all the essentials of faith, namely concerning the incarnation and doctrine and passion and resurrection and ascension of Christ, although the four gospels themselves were originally written in different provinces and in different languages ​​and by different writers, as was said above ^[6] .

(71) Some simpletons, however , believed that there was a contradiction in the gospel because in one gospel of one evangelist something is written that is not contained in another. But this is not a contradiction but a dispensation of God; because at the instigation of the Holy Spirit, what one evangelist kept silent another spoke. But what one evangelist wrote, none of the other three denied or said anything contrary to it; and among all four they did not write all the sayings and deeds of Christ, but only those which were more necessary for salvation.

(78) But how Christian doctrine is perfectly confirmed by miracles has been clearly shown above in the seventh chapter, so that there is no need to insist further.

(81) But there is no doctrine or law in the world that is so rational and so perfect as the Gospel, which contains all things.

He uprooted vice ^[7] at its root by forbidding not only an inordinate act or external speech but also an inordinate movement of the mind or internal affection, such as concupiscence, inordinate anger, and the like, from which all external evils follow.

(85) He also planted and consummated all good things in the commandment of most perfect charity in the love of God and neighbor, which is the fullness of the law. For when friendship and perfect charity are present, which compels one to communicate one's own goods, it is no longer necessary to seek justice, which induces one to repay another's. The Gospel also contains that most natural and most appropriate precept: "Whatever you want men to do to you, do the same to them," and so on; if this were the only precept, no other precept would be necessary with respect to one's neighbor. The Gospel also not only contains truth, but - as the Christian doctors hold - that if a single falsehood were found in the Gospel, the whole rest would be justly held suspect for the same reason, as was determined above in the ninth chapter.

(97) The Gospel does not permit any violence ; indeed ^, it says that even violence and injury must be patiently and humbly endured, saying: “If anyone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also; and if anyone takes your cloak, do not forbid it, but give him your tunic.” It also teaches us to return favor and love for the injury and hatred inflicted, saying: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute and slander you,” and so on. Nor does it matter if some evil Christians do not observe all these things; for the perversion of evil does not hinder the perfection and truth of the most holy law.

(106) The doctrine of the Gospel is most orderly , as was shown above in the eleventh chapter, in order of time and place and in order of doctrine and in order of matter. For it begins with the incarnation of Christ and determines what pertains to his nativity. After the nativity, at an appropriate time it shows the doctrine and wisdom of Christ; after these, the power and miracles and then the passion and death | 217r | and lastly the resurrection and ascension into heaven, etc.

(112) Indeed, no evil can be found in a doctrine of such perfection, although the unstable and unlearned believe in it certain blasphemies, such as about the incarnation and passion of Christ and also about the mystery of the Trinity; about which, as was said above, it happens that what is said in the Koran, namely, that they reject what they do not understand.

(116) It is most certain , indeed, because it is most certainly known at what time, in what place, and by what men the doctrine of the Gospel was written . ^[9] It is also most certain because it is perfectly understood in the most appropriate way, because it is proposed to be believed by divine revelation, not to be comprehended or investigated by human reason, so that even the simple can easily ascend to it and the high in intellect cannot be proud . ^[10]

(121) And although it is in itself most certain, yet it is not understood by all, because it is not the faith of all, but only by the humble and pure in heart. But the proud and carnal cannot understand it, whose understanding is to it as the eye at night is to the light of the sun . ^[11] But the holy doctors of the Christian faith no longer fly by night as by night, but with eyes undimmed they contemplate the rays of the sun like eagles in themselves. ^[12]

(127) They also expound the sacraments of faith and the mysteries of truth to others who are ignorant and who ask for a reason; nor do they say, as is said in the Koran in the chapter Ione and in the chapter Elcafferin , that the Saracens should say to other nations who do not believe but contradict the Koran: "My law is mine and yours is your law," and so on, but they are "always ready to satisfy everyone who asks for a reason about what is in them in faith and hope." This, however, belongs to the wise, namely, to assign a reason for his work. Otherwise, however, any fool could make a law and conclude whatever he wants, and say, "Let nothing be believed to those who assert the contrary."