Preparatory Considerations.-Of the antecedent cre-

dibility of miracles,

PART I.

OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIA-

NITY, AND WHEREIN IT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM

THE EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR OTHER MIRACLES.

Propositions stated,

PROPOSITION I.

PAGE 1

15, 16

That there is satisfactory evidence, that many, profes-

sing to be original witnesses of the Christian miracles,

passed their lives in labours, dangers, and sufferings,

voluntarily undergone in attestation of the accounts

which they delivered, and solely in consequence of

their belief of those accounts; and that they also

submitted, from the same motives, to new rules of

conduct,

VOL. I.

17

CHAPTER I.

Evidence of the sufferings of the first propagators of

Christianity, from the nature of the case,

CHAPTER II.

Evidence of the sufferings of the first propagators

of Christianity, from Profane Testimony,

CHAPTER III.

Indirect evidence of the sufferings of the first propa-

gators of Christianity, from the Scriptures and

other ancient Christian writings,

PAGE 17

39

51

That the story, for which the first propagators of

Christianity suffered, was miraculous,

CHAPTER VII.

That it was in the main the story which we have

now proved by indirect considerations,

89

99

107

CHAPTER VIII.

The same proved, from the authority of our histori-

SECTION III. The Scriptures were in very early times

collected into a distinct volume,

SECTION IV. And distinguished by appropriate

names and titles of respect,

SECTION V.

217

226

234

Were publickly read and expounded

in the religious assemblies of the

early Christians, ~

SECTION VI.T Commentaries, &c. were anciently

written upon the Scriptures,

SECTION VII. They were received by ancient

Christians of different sects and

239

244

persuasionis,

SECTION VIII. The four Gospels, the Acts of the

Apostles, thirteen Epistles of Saint

Paul, the First Epistle of John,

and the First of Peter, were re-

ceived without doubt by those

who doubted concerning the other

books of our present canon,

SECTION IX. Our present Gospels were considered

by the adversaries of Christianity,

255

269

as containing the accounts upon

which the religion was founded,

277

SECTION X. Formal catalogues of Authentic Scrip-

T

tures were published, in all which

our present Gospels were included, PAGE 288

SECTION XI. The above propositions cannot be

predicated of those books which

OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRIS-

TIANITY, AND WHEREIN IT IS DISTINGUISHED

EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR OTHER

FROM THE

That there is not satisfactory evidence, that persons

pretending to be original witnesses of any other on

similar miracles, have acted in the same manner, in

attestation of the accounts which they delivered,

and solely in consequence of their belief of the

truth of those accounts,

311

312

349

PREPARATORY

CONSIDERATIONS.

I DEEM it unnecessary to prove that man kind stood in need of a revelation, because I have met with no serious person who thinks that, even under the Christian revelation, we have too much light, or any degree of assurance which is superfluous. I desire moreover, that, in judging of Christianity, it may be remembered, that the question lies between this religion and none: for, if the Christian religion be not credible, no one, with whom we have to do, will support the pretensions of any

other.

Suppose, then, the world we live in to have had a Creator; suppose it to appear, from the predominant aim and tendency