That there is fatisfactory evidence, that many profeff- ing to be original witnesses of the Christian miracles, pafsed 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 CHAP. II. Evidence of the fufferings of the first propagators of Chriftianity from Profane Testimony CHAP. III. P. 42 Indirect evidence of the fufferings of the first propagators of Chriftianity, from the Scriptures and other ancient That the story, for which the first propagators of Chriftia nity fuffered, was miraculous CHAP. VII. р. гоб That it was in the main the story which we have noru proved by indirect confiderations CHAP. VIII. p. 114 The fame proved from the authority of our Historical Scrip tures CHAP. IX. p. 142 Of the Authenticity of the Historical Scriptures, in Eleven Sections p. 168 SECT. I. Quotations of the Hiflorical Scriptures by ancient Christian writers p. 183 SECT. SECT. II. Of the peculiar respect with which they were SECT. III. The fcriptures were in very early times collected into a diftinct volume P. 239 SECT. IV. And distinguished by appropriate names and titles of respect p. 247 SECT. V. Were publicly read and expounded in the reli -gious affemblies of the early Chriftians P 252 SECT. VI. Commentaries, &c. were anciently written upon the fcriptures P. 257 SECT. VII. They were received by ancient Christians of different fects and perfuafions p. 268 SECT. VIII. The four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, thirteen Epistles of St. Paul, the first Epistle of John, and the first of Peter, were received without doubt by those who doubted concerning the other books of our preSent canon p. 283 SECT. IX. Our present Gospels were confidered by the adversaries of Chriftianity, as containing the accounts upon which the religion was founded p. 292 SECT. X. Formal catalogues of authentic Scriptures were published, in all which our present Gospels were included P-304 SECT. XI. The above propofitions cannot be predicated of those books which are commonly called apocryphal books of OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIANITY, AND WHEREIN IT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE EVIDENCE ALLEDGED FOR OTHER MIRACLES PROP. II. CHAP. I. P. 329 That there is NOT fatisfactory evidence, that persons pretending to be original witnesses of any other fimilar miracles, have acted in the same manner, in attestation of the accounts which they delivered, and folely in confequence of their belief of the truth of those accounts CHAP. II. Confideration of fome specific instances - P. 330 р. 369 Preparatory Confiderations. 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 affurance which is superfluous. I defire 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 fupport the pretenfions of any other. 1 Suppose then the world we live in to have had a Creator; suppose it to appear from VOL. I. B the 1 |