"The pious and philanthropic Douglas, of Scotland, in a late work, expresses it as his opinion, that EUCLID'S ELEMENTS, and PALEY'S EVIDENCES, are the only two treatises which are perfectly adapted to the business of elementary instruction. This opinion from a mind so comprehensive and so highly gifted as that of the gentle. man above mentioned, cannot but recommend this work to the careful perusa' of all such persons as wish for full information and complete satisfaction on this momentous subject."-Rev. Dr. Alexan der, Princeton, NJ

4

239
P17e
1848

CONTENTS

OF

PALEY'S EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY.

Preparatory Considerations.-Of the antecedent credibility of mir

cles.......

PART 1.

Page 15

OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIANITY, AND WHEREIN

IT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR OTHER

MIRACLES..

19

PROPOSITION I.

That there is satisfactory evidence, that many, professing to be

original witnesses of the Christian miracles, passed their lives in

labors, dangers, and sufferings voluntarily undergone in attesta-

tion of the accounts which they delivered, and solely in conse-

quence of their belief of those accounts; and that they also sub-

mitted, from the same motives, to new rules of conduct.......... 20

CHAP. I.-Evidence of the sufferings of the first propagators of

Christianity, from the nature of the case.....

ib.

CHAP. II.-Evidence of the sufferings of the first propagators of

Christianity, from Profane testimony..

CHAP. III.-Indirect evidence of the sufferings of the first propaga.

tors of Christianity from the Scriptures and other ancient Christian

writings.....

........

31

CHAP. IV.-Direct evidence of the same ........

34

CHAP. V.-Observations on the preceding evidence.....

43

CHAP. VI. That the story, for which the first propagators of Chris-

tianity suffered, was miraculous......

47

CHAP. VII.—That it was, in the main, the story which we have

now proved, by indirect considerations

CHAP. VIII.-The same proved, from the authority of our historical

Scriptures

CHAP. IX. Of the authenticity of the historical Scriptures.....

11

49

......

CONTENTS.

SECT. I. Quotations of the historical Scriptures by ancient

Christian writers

...

71

SECT. II. Of the pecuniar respect with which they were quoted 87

SECT. III.-The Scriptures were in very early times collected

into a distinct volume

89

SECT. IV. And distinguished by appropriate names and titles

of respect..

92

SECT. V.-Were publicly read and expounded in the religious

assemblies of the early Christians....

93

SECT. VI.-Commentaries, &c. were anciently written upon the

Scriptures.

95

SECT. VII.-They were received by ancient Christians of differ-

ent sects and persuasions...

98

105

SECT. VIII.-The four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, thir-

teen Epistles of Saint 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..... 103

SECT. IX.-Our present Gospels were considered by the adversa-

ries of Christianity, as containing the accounts upon which

the religion was founded.....

SECT. X.-Formal catalogues of authentic Scriptures were pub-

lished, in all which our present Gospels were included...

SECT. XI.-The above propositions cannot be predicated of any

of those books which are commonly called apocryphal books

of the New Testament......

CHAP. X-Recapitulation.

PROPOSITION II.

.....

109

111

114

That there is NOT satisfactory evidence, that persons pretending to

be original witnesses of any other similar miracles, have acted in

the same manner, in attestation of the accounts which they de-

livered, and solely in consequence of their belief of the truth of

those accounts

......

..............

117

CHAP. III.-The candor of the writers of the New Testament...... 161

CHAP. IV.-Identity of Christ's character......

CHAP. V.-Originality of Christ's character........

CHAP. VI.-Conformity of the facts occasionally mentioned or re-

ferred to in Scripture, with the state of things in those times, as

represented by foreign and independent accounts.

CHAP. VII. Undesigned Coincidences

167

175

176

195

CHAP. VIII. Of the History of the Resurrection.

197

CHAP. IX. Of the Propagation of Christianity.

199

SECT. I.-In what degree, within what time, and to what extent

Christianity was actually propagated.............

200

SECT II.-Reflections upon the preceding Account

SECT. III.-Of the success of Mahometanism..

211

216

'PART III.

A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF SOME POPULAR OBJECTIONS.

.........

225

CHAP. I.-The Discrepancies between the several Gospels

CHAP. II-Erroneous Opinions imputed to the Apostles........... 227

CHAP. III. The connexion of Christianity with the Jewish History 230

CHAP. IV.-Rejection of Christianity..

232

...... 241

CHAP. V. That the Christian miracles are not recited, or appealed

to by early Christian writers themselves so fully or frequently as

might have been expected...................

CHAP. VI.-Want of universality in the knowledge and reception

of Christianity, and of greater clearness in the evidence...................... 246

CHAP. VII.-The supposed Effects of Christianity...

CHAP. VIII. Conclusion..........

......... 251

255

B