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CONTENTS.
Page
viii
EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY.
DEDICATION.
Preparatory Considerations.-Of the antecedent credibility of mira-
cles
1
PART I.
OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIAN-
ITY, AND WHEREIN IT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE
EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR OTHER MIRACLES .
PROPOSITION I.
That there is satisfactory evidence, that many, professing to be
original witnesses of the Christian miracles, passed their lives in
labours, 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
CHAP. I.-Evidence of the sufferings of the first propagators of
Christianity, from the nature of the case
CHAP. II.-Evidence of the sufferings of the first propagators of Christianity, from Profane testimony
CHAP. IIL-Indirect evidence of the sufferings of the first propa-
gators of Christianity, from the Scriptures and other ancient
Christian writings
CHAP. IV.-Direct evidence of the same
90
25
CHAP. V.-Observations upon the preceding evidence. CHAP. VI.-That the story, for which the first propagators of Christianity suffered, was miraculous
CHAP. VII.—That it was, in the main, the story which we have now proved by inderect considerations.
CHAP. VIII. The same proved, from the authority of our histori-
cal Scriptures
66
CHAP. IX.—Of the authenticity of the historical Scriptures, in ele-
ven Sections
. 79
SECT. L-Quotations of the historical Scriptures by ancient Chris-
tian writers
86
SECT. II.—Of the peculiar respect with which they were quoted. 109
SECT. III.-The Scriptures were in very early times collected into
a distinct volume
. 113
SECT. IV.-And distinguished by appropriate names and titles of
respect
· 117
SECT. V.-Were publicly read and expounded in the religious as-
semblies of the early Christians
119
SECT. VI.—Commentaries, &c., were anciently written upon the
Scriptures
121
SECT. VII. They were received by ancient Christians of different
sects and persuasions
SECT. 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 received without doubt by those who doubted con-
cerning the other books of our present canon
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 those
books which are commonly called apocryphal books of the New
Testament
CHAP. I. 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 delivered, and solely in consequence of their belief of
the truth of those accounts
181
• 191
CHAP. III.-The candour of the writers of the New Testament. 291
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
CHAP. VIIL-Of the History of the Resurrection
230
24)
• 243
272
CHAP. IX.—Of the Propagation of Christianity
274
SECT. II.-Reflections upon the preceding Account
SECT. III. Of the success of Mahometanism
PART IIL
A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF SOME POPULAR OBJECTIONS.
CHAP. I.-The Discrepancies between the several Gospe.s
CHAP. II.—Erroneous Opinions imputed to the Apostles
CHAP. III.—The connection of Christianity with the Jewish His-
tory
. 316
. 320
. 324
CHAP. IV.-Rejection of Christianity
CHAP. V.-That the Christian miracles are not recited, or ap-
pealed to, by early Christian writers themselves, so fully or fre-
quently as might have been expected
CHAP. VI.-Want of universality in the knowledge and reception
of Christianity, and of greater clearness in the evidence
CHAP. VII.-The supposed Effects of Christianity
CHAP. VIII.-Conclusion