Abu Hamed Algazali _thought
concerning those Men who were so wild and Enthusiastick as to
use such extravagant expressions, appears plainly from those words
of his quoted by_ Dr. Pocock _in his_ Specimen. p. 167, _where he says_,
"People ran on to such a degree, (_of madness you may
be sure_) as to pretend to an Union with God, and a fight
of him without the interposition of any Veil, and familiarly
discourse with him. _And a little after_, which sort
of Speeches have occasion'd great mischiefs among the
common People; so that some Country Fellows laying aside
their Husbandry, have pretended to the same things:
for Men are naturally pleas'd with such discourses, as
give them a liberty to neglect their business, and withal
promise them purity of Mind, and the attainment of
strange degrees and proprieties. Now the most stupid
Wretches in Nature may pretend to this, and have in
their Mouths such false and deceitful expressions. And
if any one denies what they say, they immediately tell
you, that this Unbelief of yours proceeds from _Learning_
and _Logick_: and that _Learning_ is a _Veil_, and _Logick_
labour of the brain, but that these things which they
affirm, are discovered only inwardly then by the
_Light of the TRUTH_. And this which they affirm, has spread
_it self_ through a great many Countries, and produc'd a
great deal of Mischief." _Thus far_ Algazali. _How exactly
this answers the wild extravagancies of our Enthusiasts, let
themselves judge. And withal I would have them from hence
learn the Modesty not to pretend to be the first after the Apostles
who had endeavour'd to turn Men from Darkness to LIGHT,
since they see so many worthy Persons among the Mahometans
gone before them_.]

[Footnote 9: Avenpace--_This Author is oftentimes quoted by the Name
of_ Ebn'olfayeg; _he was accounted a Philosopher. of great Ingenuity
and Judgment_. Maimonides, _in his Epistle to_ R. Samuel
Aben Tybbon, _gives him a great Character_. Abu'l Hasen Ali,
_who collected all his Works, and reduced them into One Volume,
prefers him before all the Mahometan Philosophers whatsoever.
He was famous for his Poetry as well as Philosophy; he died young,
being prison'd at_ Fez, _in the Year of the_ Hegira 533. _i.e. of
Christ_, 1138, or 39, _others in the Year_ 525, _which answers to_
1131. _Most of his Works are imperfect_. See Dr. _Pocock's
Elenchus Scriptorum prefix'd to the Arabick Edition of this Book_.]

[Footnote 10: _Tho' this in