AN ESSAY

ON

Unbelief:

DESCRIBING

ITS NATURE AND OPERATIONS,

AND SHEWING

ITS BANEFUL INFLUENCE IN DISTRESSING
AWAKENED AND RENEWED SOULS.

BY THE

REV. JAMES CHURCHILL,

HENLEY, OXON.

Take heed, Brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of un-
belief, in departing from the living God. Heb. iii. 12.

These things have I written unto you, that-ye may believe on the
name of the Son of God. 1 John v. 13-

"Besides the class of those who professedly reject revelation, there is
"another,—which may be called the class of half unbelievers;-but let these
"men be reminded there is no middle way." Wilberforce's Practical
View.

OXFORD;

PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. BARTLETT, FOR THE AUTHOR ;
Sold also by CONDER, Bucklersbury, and WILLIAMS, Statio-
ners' Court, London; NORTON, Henley; and
RUSHER, Reading.

CONTENTS.

Chap.

I. Introductory Observations.

II. The nature and operations of unbelief, par-

ticularly as leading to a rejection of the

gospel...

III. The causes of unbelief.

IV. The particular effects of unbelief, consi-

dered in reference to newly awakened souls

and real believers

Page

1

8

52

70

V. Remedies and cautions against Unbelief.. 134

VI. Concluding Address

156

28 00 62

PREFACE.

THE Author of the following pages cannot suffer them to issue from the press, without, in a few lines, accounting for their publication.

It having pleased God to excite a spirit of enquiry, especially among the writer's young friends, about religion; in his frequent intercourse with them and others of the church and congregation, he has had much opportunity of observing in what particular ways their minds have been opened to the vast concerns of eternity; the various conflicts they have passed through; and their great depression arising from a discovery of the evils of their hearts. He has