worship a plurality of gods, but there is only one person in the divine Trinity; and account all such as own any thing of number in the Divinity, to be infidels and idolaters.
The second article of the Mahometan faith is this, “That Mahomet was the messenger of God.” Hereby they intend to exclude all other religions, under pretence that their prophet was the last and greatest of all the prophets that God ever sent into the world; and, would have it believed, that as the Jewish religion ceased on the coming of the Messiah, so likewise the Christian religion was abrogated by the coming of Mahomet: Not but they acknowledge Moses and Jesus Christ to have been great prophets; but Mahomet, they hold to be “the prophet,” by way of excellence, and the Comforter promised in the scripture, John xvi 7. Nay, they assert, that the very name of Mahomet both here and in other places of the gospel, was expressly mentioned; but that the Christians, out of prejudice, have erased it, and corrupted the sacred writings.
As the practical part of the Mahometan religion is chiefly comprehended in the five following precepts: 1. That they observe their corporeal purifications. 2. That they pray to God at the appointed times. 3. That they give alms to the poor 4. That they fast during the month of Ramazen 5. That they go in pilgrimage to the temple o⟨f⟩ Mecca, if they are able. To these may be added some other articles, which are not esteemed absolutely necessary to salvation: As that of circumcision: Of keeping friday a sabbath: Of drinking no wine: And of eating no swines flesh, no⟨r⟩ things strangled.
