of his Glory, and the express Image of his person, &c.  I say, after God had, by this glorious Person, manifested and reveal’d his whole Will to us, and declared whatsoever he requir’d to be believ’d and done by us, whilst in these Mortal Bodies; there was no longer need of Revelation to those who had received the most perfect one that could be deliver’d.  So that all those Reasons being remov’d, which were to be given for a Succession of immediately inspired Prophets before the Coming of Christ; it is altogether groundless, to say no worse of it, to expect any now he is come.  What Methods God will use, when his time is come, to bring in the Fulness of the Gentiles, and to convert the Jews; or what Endowments he will bestow upon those Persons whom he shall please to make use of as his Instruments to compleat that great Work, will then be best known when it is come to pass.  There is no Question but that he will use sufficient means.  All that I contend for is, that those which he has already afforded, are abundantly sufficient for those who have the Happiness to be baptized, and brought up in the Profession of the Christian Faith; and consequently, that it is unreasonable to expect any other Assistances, or to seek any other means of serving God, than what are deliver’d in his Holy Word, and made use of in his Church.

Sec. 18.  To return to our Argument.  If these things, contended for by Enthusiasts, were not granted either under the Jewish or Christian Dispensation, as I hope has been sufficiently prov’d; it follows, a majori, that those who are depriv’d of those Advantages, which both Jews and Christians enjoy’d cannot have them:  And therefore in vain do we search for Persons so endow’d amongst Mahometans or Heathens. For without any Breach of Charity, in respect to those Persons, who never were so happy as to have the Gospel preach’d to them; we may assure our selves, that they do not enjoy equal Privileges with us, who by our Baptism have a foederal Right to all those Assistances of the Holy Spirit promis’d to the Church in the Holy Scriptures.  And yet there would not be much difference, if by their diligently adhering to any Principle or Light, which God has bestow’d upon Mankind in general, they might attain to true saving Knowledge.  And for this Reason, our Author, who was himself a Mahometan, seems as little to have consulted the Honour of his Prophet Mahomet, and the necessity of believing his Doctrine, in feigning a Person brought up by himself, to have by his Application and Industry attain’d to the Knowledge of all things reveal’d to that suppos’d Prophet, as our Enthusiasts do value the Means which God has always us’d to convey his Will to Mankind[45].  Whilst out of a groundless Charity, they do in a manner put all Men upon the Level, as to the Means of Salvation.  Which Opinion of theirs, however plausible at first sight, upon the account of that specious Shew of Universal Charity to Mankind, does most certainly tend to the undervaluing and lessening those inestimable Benefits which our Blessed Saviour has purchas’d for, and promis’d to his Church; and ought no more to be receiv’d, than that charitable Opinion of Origen’s who believ’d that after a certain time of Punishment, not only the wickedest of Men, but also the Devils themselves should be laved.