whom they call Eefoff, the betrayed for God. So of David, whom they call Dabood, the lover and praiser of God. So. of Solomon, whom they call Selymon, the wisdom of God; all expreffed as the former, in fhort Arabian words, which they fing in ditties unto their particular remembrances.

And by the way, many of the Mahometans there are called by the names of Moosa, or Ibrahim, or Ifmal, or Acob, or Eefoff, or Dahood, or Selymon: So others are called Mahmud, or Chaan, which fignifies the Moon, or Frista, which fignifies a Star, &c. And they call their women by the names of flowers or fruit of their country, or by the names of fpices or odours, or of pearls, or precious ftones, or elfe by other names of pretty or pleafing fignification. As Job named one of his daughters Jemimah, which fignifies clear as the day; the second Keziah, which fignifies pleasant as caffia, or sweet spice; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch, fignifying the horn, or ftrength of beauty, Job xlii. 14.

But I'll return again to that people, that I may acquaint my reader with one thing of 'fpecial obfervation, and 'tis this: That there is not one among the Mahometans (of any understanding) which at any time mentions the name, of our bleffed Saviour, called there Hazaret Eefa, the Lord Chrift, but he makes mention of it with high reverence and refpect:

For

they fay of Chrift, that he was a good man, and a just, that he lived without fin, that he did greater miracles than ever any before, or fince him; nay further they call him Rha-bowAlla, the breath of God; but how he should be the son of God, cannot conceive, and therefore cannot believe.

Perhaps the Socinians first took that their opinion from thefe, which bids them to have every thing they receive as truth, to be cleared up unto them by the ftrength of reason, as if there were no need of the exercise of faith.

And truly (I must needs confefs) that to believe the incarnation of the fon of God, is one of the hardest and greatest tasks for faith to encounter withal: That God fhould be made a man, that this man Chrift fhould be born of a virgin, that life should spring from death, and that from contempt and scorn, triumph and victory should come, &c. But Chriftians must bind up all their thoughts, as to these, in that excellent meditation of Picus Mirandula, faying, Mirandam Dei Incarnationem, &c. Concerning that admirable and wonderful incarnation of Christ, the Son of God, I shall not fay much, it being sufficient for me, as for all others that look for benefit by Christ, to believe, that he was begotten, and that he was born. These are articles of our faith; and we are not Chriftians if we believe them not.

It may feem very strange, therefore, that the Mahometans (who understand themselves

S 3

better) fhould have fuch a very high esteem of our bleffed Saviour Chrift, and yet think us who profefs ourselves Chriftians, to be fo unworthy, or fo unclean, as that they will not eat with us any thing that is of of our drefsing, nor yet of any thing that is dreffed in our veffels.

There are more particulars, which challenge a room in this fection as their proper place; But because I would not have it iwell too big, I shall here part it, and speak further,

SECTION XVI.

Of their Votaries; where of the voluntary and Sharp Penances that People underga. Of their Lent; and of their Fafts and Feafts, &c. &c.

A

Mong the Mahometans, there are many votaries, they call Dervifes, who re linquish the world, and spend all their days following in folitude and retiredness, expecting a recompence (as they fay, and are very well content to fuffer and wait for it) in that better life. Thofe very sharp and very strict penances, which many of this people voluntarily undergo, far exceed all thofe the Romanifts boast of; for inftance, there are fome who live alone upon the tops of hills, (which are cloathed or covered with trees, and

ftand

ftand remote from any company) and there fpend the whole time of their following lives in contemplation, ftirring not at all from the places they first fix on, but ad requifita naturæ, crying out continually in these or the like expreffions, Alla Achabar, &c. that is, God Almighty look upon me, I love thee, I love not the world, but I love thee, and I do all thuis for thy fake, look upon me, God Almighty.

Thefe, after they first retire, never fuffer the razor or fciffars to come again upon their heads; and they let their nails grow like unto birds claws, as it was written of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. iv. when he was driven out from the fociety of men. :

This people, after their retirement, will choose rather to famifh than to stir from their cells; and therefore they are relieved by the charity of others, who take care to fend them fome very mean covering for their bodies (for it must be fuch, otherwise they will not accept of it) when they ftand in need thereof; and fomething for their bodily fuftenance, which -must be of their coarfer food, otherwife they will not take it, and no more of that at one time than what is fufficient for the present support of nature.

Some again impofe long times of fafting upon themselves, and will take no food at all, 'till the strength of nature in them be almost quite spent.

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And

And others there are amongst them they call religious men, who wear nothing about them but to hide their fhame, and thefe (like the mendicant friars) beg for all they eat. They usually live in the skirts or outfides of great cities, or towns, and are like the man our bleffed Saviour mentions, Luke viii. 27. about the city of the Gadarens, which had Devils, and wore no cloaths, neither abode in any house but in the tombs. And fo do these, making little fires in the day, fleeping at night in the warm ashes thereof, with which they befmear and difcolour their bodies. Thefe Afh-men will fometimes take intoxicating things, which make them talk wildly and ftrangely, (as fome of our Quakers do in their ftrange distempers) and then the foolish common people will flock about them, and (believing they then prophefy) hearken to them with all attention.

A very great difference 'twixt that people and ours,; for there they call mad-men prophets, and amongst us there are many prophets which are accounted but mad-men.

There are another fort among them, called Mendee, carried on likewife by mistakes, and mifconceiving in religion; who like the priests of Baal, mentioned 1 K. xviii. "often cut their flesh with knives and launcets."

Others again I have there feen, who meerly out of devotion put fuch maffy fetters of iron upon their legs, as that they can scarce ftir with them; and then, covered with blue

mantles,