Extract from the last Will and Testa

ment of the late Reverend JOHN BAMPTON, Canon of Salisbury.

" I give and bequeath my Lands and -“ Estates to the Chancellor, Masters, and Scho“ lars of the University of Oxford for ever, to “ have and to hold all and fingular the said “ Lands or Estates upon trust, and to the in“ tents and purposes hereafter mentioned ; that, « is to say, I will and appoint, that the Vice“ Chancellor of the University of Oxford for “ the time being shall take and receive all the “ rents, issues, and profits thereof, and (after “ all reparations, and necessary deductions made) “ that he pay all the remainder to the endow“ ment of eight Divinity Lecture Sermons, to « be established forever in the said University, “ and to be performed in the manner following:

“ I direct and appoint, that, upon the first “ Tuesday in Easter Term, a Lecturer be yearly “ chosen by the Heads of Colleges only, and “ by no others, in the room adjoining to the “ Printing-House, between the hours of ten in “ the morning and two in the afternoon, to “ preach eight Divinity Lecture Sermons, the “ year following, at St. Mary's in Oxford, be“ tween the commencement of the last month

" in Lent Term, and the end of the third 66. week in Act Term.

“ Also I direct and appoint, that the eight “ Divinity Lecture Sermons shall be preached “ upon either of the following subjects—to “ confirm and establish the Christian Faith, « and to confute all heretics and schismatics “ upon the divine authority of the Holy Scrip“ tures—upon the authority of the writings of 6 the primitive Fathers, as to the faith and o practice of the primitive Church-upon the “ Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ " —upon the Divinity of the Holy Ghost“ upon the Articles of the Christian Faith, as “ comprehended in the Apostles? and Nicene « Creeds.

“ Also I direct, that thirty copies of the eight “ Divinity Lecture Sermons shall be always “ printed, within two months after they are « preached, and one copy shall be given to the “ Chancellor of the University, and one copy to “ the Head of every College, and one copy to “ the Mayor of the City of Oxford, and one “ copy to be put into the Bodleian Library; " and the expence of printing them shall be « paid out of the revenue of the Lands or Estates “ given for establishing the Divinity Lecture “ Sermons; and the Preacher shall not be paid,

ç nor

“ nor be entitled to the revenue, before they are « printed.

“ Also I direct and appoint, that no person « shall be qualified to preach the Divinity Lec“ ture Sermons, unless he hath taken the De« gree of Master of Arts at least, in one of the 5 two Universities of Oxford or Cambridge ; “ and that the same person Thall never preach " the Divinity Lecture Sermons twice.”

SERMON I.
Introduction-plan of the Lectures. Faith
defined — significations of the word—chiefly two
-an intellectual and a practical principle— the
first to be considered in this Lecture. Origin
of all personal Knowledge—this knowledge too
confined—Faith necessary in many instances
in Natural Philosophy --even in abstract Sci-
ences-especially in History. Reasonableness
of Faith because of the Ability and Veracity of
man— these considered. Certainty of Faith
Remark on Science-Degrees of credibility.
Qualifications necessary to a right judgment in

matters of Faith. Conclusion.

S E R M O N II. '

Faith a principle of Action--acceptations of

the term under this head- its Propriety and

Value to be considered. It is, first, necessary

from a Defect of other Principles –Secondly, it

is productive of the Welfare of mankind-these

two positions to be proved. 1. Faith is neces-

fary to Moral Philosophy—to the other Arts-

to