BOOKS Printed for R. Knaplock, at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-yard.

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HE Works of the Learned Jofeph Bingham, M. A. late Rector of Havant, in Two Volumes in Folio. Containing I. The Antiquities of the Chriftian Church in 23 Books. II. A fcholaftical Hiftory of Lay Baptifm. III. The French Churches Apology for the Church of England. N. B. In this Work there is fuch a methodical Account of the Antiquities of the Chriftian Church, as will at once give to the Reader a full View of any Ufage or Cuftom of Chriftians. through the first five Centuries, and will fave to any Enqui rer the Charge and Trouble of confulting above 500 Authors.

II. Sixteen Sermons preached in the Church of St. Mary le Bow, London, in the Years 1721 and 1722, at the Lecture founded by the Honourable Robert Boyle, Efq; The Second Edition. To which is fubjoined A Defence of the Chriftian Religion from the Prophecies of the Old Teftament. By Brampton Gurdon, M. A. Archdeacon of Sudbury.

HI. The Reafoning of Chrift and his Apoftles in their Defence of Chriftianity confidered. In feven Sermons preached at Hackney in November and December, 1724. To which is prefixed a Preface, taking Notice of the falfe Representations of Chriftianity and of the Apoftles Reasoning in Defence of it in a Book intitled the Grounds and Reafons of the Chriftian Religion. By T. Bullock, M. A. and Chaplain to the Right Reverend Dr. John Leng, then Lord Bishop of Norwich. Publifhed at the Request of the Gentlemen of Hackney. The Third Edition.

IV. The Reafon of Christ and his Apoftles vindicated in Two Parts. I Being a Defence of the Argument from Miracles, proving the Argument from Prophecy not neceffary to a rational Defence of the Chriftian Religion. II. Being a Defence of the Argument from Prophecy, proving the Chriftian Scheme to have a rational Foundation upon the Prophecies of the Old Teftament. In Anfwer to a Book entitled, The Scheme of Literal Prophecy confider'd. By T. Bullock, M. A.

V. The Sacred and Prophane Hiftory of the World, connected from the Creation to the Diffolution of the Affyrian Empire at the Death of Sardanapalus, and to the Declenfion of the Kingdoms of Judah and Ifrael under the Reigns of Ahaz and Pekah. N. B. This History is carried down to that Period of Time at which Dr. Prideaux begins his Connection, and is a proper Introduction to it. By Samuel Shuckford, M. A. Rector of Shelton in Norfolk.

SERMON I

Preached January the 7th 1716.

Heb. iii. 12.

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

HESE words of the Apostle are spoken to fuch as were at that time supposed to be believers of the Chriftian Doctrine, at leaft in fuch a degree as, in fome meafure, to acknowledge it to be from God, and to be well perfuaded of the truth of its first principles; though fome of them perhaps not fufficiently inftructed, as yet, in all the conLequences

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fequences of thofe principles, or in all the feveral branches of Chriftian faith and practice: And they contain a general exhortation to beware of falling back into a state of infidelity, or of disbelieving and renouncing that Gospel doctrine which they had once entertained, and upon which, as a foundation, he intended to build thofe farther Doctrines which were neceffary to render the Christian Institution compleat.

The expreffions here made ufe of, are fuch as plainly imply the feveral following Particulars.

I. That Infidelity of the Chriftian Doctrine, when plainly propofed to us, is in a great meafure voluntary, and therefore chargeable to mens own account: for elfe it would be unreasonable to give fuch a caution to beware of it.

II. That it proceeds from a vitious disposition of mind and affections: it has not its original in the head or understanding, but in the heart, being called an evil heart of unbelief.

III. That it is a revolting from that natura] duty which we owe to God, the author of our life and being, a departing from the Living God; and therefore,

IV. That

IV. That men by falling into fuch Infidelity may be highly culpable before God, and, as fuch, may be justly punishable by him for the perverse use of those faculties, and means of employing them, which he has bestowed upon

them.

I need not add, that the caution it felf fupposes, that men who have once been believers may for want of care and attention, and of living according to their belief, relapse into a state of Infidelity, either partial or total; they may be so hardened by the deceitfulness of fin, as by degrees to fet themselves against that Truth which they have formerly admitted. And therefore, if I were now to speak only to those who do at present believe the Gofpel, and own their belief of it; and who do, upon that account, take thefe words of the Apostle to be the direction or caution of God Almighty by his infpired Minifter, I might fpeak very usefully to the forementioned

particulars, as a Warning to all Christians to hold fast the profeffion of their faith, and shew how much we are all concerned in this Apoftolical advice; left by neglecting to make a proper ufe of that Doctrine which God hath revealed to us for the direction of our lives,

and by fuffering our lufts and paffions to prevail over our reafon and confideration, we should firft put away a good Conscience, and by that means be tempted, or wrought upon, to make fhipwreck of our Faith.

But fince I am now fuppofed to direct my discourse to fuch as pretend not yet to be perfuaded of the truth or importance of the Chriftian Religion, and to fuch as are diffident of the principles of all Religion, or at least are willing to dispute themselves into a disbelief of it, or fuch great uncertainty about it, as makes them utterly unconcerned whether it be true or false; I muft not, to fuch men, use these words of the Text in an Authoritative manner, nor urge them any farther than as a piece of prudent advice, which is not allowed by them to have any more weight in it, than what may be made plain and evident from the Reafon and nature of the thing.

And upon this foundation I fhall at this time apply my self to fuch as deny, or dispute against the common principles of Religion, and think it a very innocent and indifferent matter, either to believe them, or not believe them, as it shall happen, as having respect only to their present convenience, and not concerned about any future confequences; and

fhall