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be of much ufe to the curious enquirer into the original doctrines of Chriftianity, if we were favoured with a good tranflation of them.3

All these are works of real reputation, may be procured for a little money, and read at a moderate expenfe of time. The whole of thofe in English, bible included, may be purchased at the small fum of four or five pounds, and carefully read over at leifure hours, the important paffages extracted into an interleaved bible, or common-place book, in the courfe of four or five years, more or lefs accord

ing

"There are a few other authors, befides thefe juft mentioned, which should be carefully read by the i quifitive Chriftian, who is defirous of light and information concerning the original doctrines of Christianity.

1. The Ecclefiaftical Hiftories of Eufebius, Socrates, Sozomen, Theodorit, and Evagrius Scholafticus.-Thefe may be had in English.

2. Cave's Hiftoria Literaria.-This is in Latin, and, I believe, was never rendered into our own language.

3. Cave's Lives of the Primitive Fathers.

4. Cave's Primitive Chriftianity.Thefe two are written in English.

5. Bingham's Antiquities of the Chriftian Church.--This is written in English.

6. Dupin's New Hiftory of Ecclefiaftical Writers.-This is a very valuable work, and may be had in English.

7. The whole Works of Bishop Bull.-Part of these are in Latin and part in English.

8. Nelfon's Fafts and Feftivals.

9. The Works of Philo, the learned Jew.-Thefe are in Greek. 10. The Works of Jofephus, the Jewish warrior.-These were written in Greek, but have been repeatedly tranflated into English. 11. The Preparation for the Gofpel: And,

12. The Demonftration of the Gofpel.-Thefe two were written in Greek, by the learned Eufebius, and, I think, have never been tranflated into the English tongue. They contain, however, much curious and useful information, of which scholars fhould not be ignorant.

ing to our diligence and zeal. Few Chriftians, whofe minds are fufficiently refined and improved to be capable of the undertaking, would grudge fo trifling a fum, in the course of human life, for the fake of obtaining a benefit fo ineftimable, as fatisfaction to the mind, on the most important of all fubjects in the world, religion.

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But the misfortune is, that the great body of the people, in this and every other country, take their religion upon trust. If they happen to be born Heathens, Jews, Mahometans, or Christians, such they remain, without knowing why or wherefore, only their parents and friends are the fame. So among Chriftians, if they are born Catholics or Proteftants, fuch they will continue, determining not to be wiser than their forefathers. In like manner, if they are fprung from Proteftant parents, they take the sect their parents took; believe, or pretend to believe, the principles they are fuppofed to entertain, without giving themselves any trouble concerning either the truth or the falfehood of them: infomuch that, if they are in poffeffion of the true principles of the gofpel, it is rather by good luck, than owing to any fuperior merit and fagacity of their own. Such a profeffion of religion, common fenfe tells us, can never be confidered as a facrifice acceptable to the Divine Being. These fame perfons, however, will not act in this careless and incautious manner, if they have

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where we shall no longer look through a glass darkly, but face to face; love as we are loved, fee as we are seen, know as we are known, and spend an eternity together in the rapturous contemplation of that mysterious Deity, who chose us in Christ Jefus before the world began; juftifies us freely by his grace; fanctifies us wholly by his Spirit; and washes us from our fins in the blood of his own Son; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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DDISON, Jofeph, Efq. believed the foul's immortality 258
Agur, an advocate for the purity of Mofes' writings... 49
Aikenhead, the atheist, burnt alive..

22

Allix, Dr. book of, entitled, The Judgment of the ancient
Jewish Church, recommended against the Socini-84

ans..

opinion of, on the Socinians.

writings of, on the Trinity, decifive

profoundly skilled in Chriftian antiquity.

Anabaptifts, German, fome account of...

97
179

220

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Apthorp, Dr. affertion of, that Mofes is the moft perfect of hif-

torians.

Apofties, authority of the, not to be queftioned.

ably defended by Dr. Whitby.
rejected by Dr. Priestley

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Apoftles, infpiration of the

89

Arians, contradictions of the.

155

198

dangerous to reject.

high and low, what the diftinction..

Arianifm, recommendation of authors who have written against 196

Afgil!, Mr. an advocate for the tranflation of the human body 26
Atheists, 50000 of, in Paris, in the year 1623...

fome of them men of rare talents..

not to be regarded..

alarming fituation of, fcripture being judge.

24

188

ibid.

189

can have no juft ground cf hope, on any principles 194

Atheism, very common in Italy...

books against, recommended..

24

188

Atonement, of Chrift, feme advocates for the, recommended 74

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Athenagoras, apology, and difcourfe of on the refurrection,

recommended to be read.....

Auguftine, St. recommendation of, of catholic tradition..
Authenticity of St. Mat. and St. Luke's too firft chapters provedic

B.

Bacon, Sir Francis, an advocate for Mofes..
contends for the atonement of Chrift.
embraced the divinity of Chrift.

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Barnabas, St. epiftle of, recommended to be read..
Barrow, Dr. view of, on the Trinity..

254

14

Barnard, Rev. Mr. ftates a mifreprefentation of Dr. Priestley 165
Badcock, Rev. Mr. writings of, on the Trinity, fatisfactory.. 179
Bell, George, fome account of the delufion of...
Berkley, Bishop, contended that matter is only ideal.
Berington, Mr. S. defends the history of the creation.
Bentley, Dr. contends for the prefcience of the Deity..

a believer of the abftrufeft myfteries of the gofpel..
Beveridge, Bishop, well killed in Chriftian antiquity..

27

ibid.

46
96

131

220

232

251

116

fhort view of, of the writings of the Fathers.
Berriman, thoughts of, on the ufe of the Fathers..
Bible, holy, one plain declaration of, preferable to all the so-
phiftical reafonings of Dr. Prieftley.-
how to read the, with faving advantage 205, 247, 253
cavilled with by minute philofophers.

.........

.208, 219

affords abundant matter for conceited ignorance} 209

to carp at.

the only rule of truth.

261

Bible, bishop Wilfon's edition of the, preferable to every other 253
Bishop, Dr. juft opinion of, on the use of the Fathers......
Bildad, recommends application to the ancients...

231

212

Bingham, Chriftian antiquities of, recommended to be read 256
Blair, Dr. fine thoughts of, on the atonement.

fermons of, recommended

Blackwall, Rev. A. fmart reflections of, on two Socinians

73

74

99

thoughts of, on the eloquence of three of the Fathers 236

Blindness, judicial, threatened to certain characters.

every man in danger of..

defcription of, by Milton.

Boccold, John, the enthufiaft, fome account of..

marriage of, to fourteen wives.

one wife of, beheaded with his own hand.
death of..

Bolingbroke, Lord, a deist.

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Body, a celebrated character denies his poffeffion of a

Boyle, hon. Robert, an advocate for Mofes..

high opinion of, of the bible..

Boileau, Monfieur, a great admirer of the bible.

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Boothby, Sir Brooke, anfwer of, to Paine's Rights of Man 169
Browne, Rev. Simon, fome account of the phrenfy of...... 31
Buddæus, fentiments of, on the use of the Fathers.
Buchan, Mrs. delufion and death of..

223
27

Burgh, William, Efqr. anfwer of, to Mr. Lindsey, recommended 104
opinion of, on the Fathers...

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