1797. William Finch, LL. D. late Fellow of St. John's College; "The objections of infidel hiftorians "and other writers against Christianity confi❝dered."

1798, Charles Henry Hall, B. D. late Student of Christ Church. "It is the purpose of these difcourfes "to confider at large what is meant by the "fcriptural expreffion, fulness of time;' or, in "other words, to point out the previous steps "by which God Almighty gradually prepared "the way for the introduction and promulga"tion of the Gospel." See the Preface.

1799. William Barrow, LL. D. of Queen's College, Thefe Lectures contain "answers to fome po"pular objections against the neceffity or the credibility of the Chriftian revelation."

66

1800. George Richards, M. A. late Fellow of Oriel College; "The divine origin of prophecy illuf"trated and defended."

1801. George Stanley Faber, M. A. Fellow of Lincoln College;*" Hora Mofaicæ; or, a view of the "Mofaical records with refpect to their coin"cidence with profane antiquity, their internal "credibility, and their connection with Chrif"tianity."

1802. George Frederic Nott, B. D. Fellow of All Souls College; "Religious Enthufiafm confidered."

1803. John Farrer, M. A. of Queen's College; "On the "miffion and character of Chrift, and on the "Beatitudes."

1804. Richard Laurence, LL. D. of Univerfity College; "An attempt to illuftrate thofe Articles of the "Church of England which the Calvinists im66 properly confider as Calviniftical."

1805. Edward Nares, M. A. late Fellow of Merton College; "A view of the evidences of Chrif"tianity at the clofe of the pretended age of " reafon."

1806. John Browne, M. A. late Fellow of Corpus Christi College. In these Lectures the following principle is variously applied in the vindication of religion; that "there has been an infancy of "the fpecies, analogous to that of the indivi"duals of whom it is compofed, and that the "infancy of human nature required a different "mode of treatment from that which was fuit"able to its advanced state."

1807. Thomas Le Mefurier, M. A. late Fellow of New College; "The nature and guilt of Schifm con"fidered with a particular reference to the prin66 ciples of the Reformation.”

1808. John Penrofe, M. A. of Corpus Chrifti College; "An attempt to prove the truth of Christianity " from the wisdom displayed in its original esta"blishment, and from the hiftory of falfe and corrupted systems of religion."

1809. J. B. S. Carwithen, M. A. of St. Mary Hall; "A "view of the Brahminical religion in its confir"mation of the truth of the facred history, and "in its influence on the moral character."

1810. Thomas Falconer, M. A. of Corpus Chrifti Col

lege; "Certain principles in Evanson's Diffo"nance of the four generally received Evange"lifts, &c. examined."

LECTURE I.

HEBREWS iii. 12.

Take heed, brethren, left there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

THIS exhortation of the Apostle is founded

on an affurance that the scheme both of the Mofaic and Chriftian revelation is the work of God. For every houfe, fays he, is builded by Some man; but he that built all things is God. And Mofes verily was faithful in all his house, as a fervant, for a teftimony of those things which were to be Spoken after; but Chrift as a Son over his own houfe; whofe houfe are we, if we hold faft the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. And fubfequently, in the words of the text, Take heed, brethren, left there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

a Ver. 4, 5, and 6.

B

For though the origin of our faith be attested by a series of the most fatisfactory proofs, there have been perverfe, difputatious, and wicked characters in every period, who have denied and contradicted its authority.

But our church has not been established by the mere prefcriptive ordinances of men; it has been confirmed by rational inquiry and by solid argument and, having been purified from the corruption of former ages, and triumphed over perfecution, is at length fixed on fuch a broad and firm bafis, that while it has the fulleft confidence and rejoicing of hope in the divine power that fupports it, it shrinks not from examination, but even challenges fair investigation. Our faith at the fame time we trust is fincere; but not arrogant. We would recommend to thofe who are in error or in doubt, who are feduced or hardened through the deceitfulness of fin, to endeavour to rectify their mifapprehenfions, and to confirm their opinions on the fame rational principles; to prove all things, and to hold fast that which is good. But while we are thus difpofed to promote liberal and honeft inquiry, we muft, we ought to difcourage that prefumptive and unyielding fpirit which difdains inftruction; a 1pirit, which ever fince the publication of