CHAPTER I

The books of the New Testament written by eight Jews.--Why called New Testament? Infidels deny the genuineness of the books.--Hold that the writers were impostors, and the religion taught in them a fraud practiced upon mankind. The difficulties attending the examination of the claims of the New Testament to genuineness and credibility.--How the subject should be approached.--The denial of the genuineness of the books of modern dates. Toland charged with having betrayed his suspicion that the writings were forgeries. The suspicion of an anonymous Italian.--Its absurdity.--Gibbon acknowledges the genuineness of the writings.--Volney lays it down as a clear case, that no such person as Jesus Christ ever existed. His theory adopted, defended, and extensively circulated by Taylor. His positions defined in his manifesto.--His unblushing falsehoods promptly met and refuted by English Divines. Hitherto unanswered in this country.--His first and second propositions taken up.--How the authorship which has no name prefixed to it is to be ascertained. The rule applied to the New Testament 3

SECTION I.--Marks given by Michaelis by which the spuriousness of a book may be discovered.--How books anciently found their way to the public. The congregations before whom the original copies of the New Testament were read, vouchers of their genuineness.--The ancient adversaries of Christianity admitted the genuineness of the writings. The testimony of Trypho, the Jew. The testimony of Celsus. The writings of Celsus against Christianity of great value in enabling the advocate of Revelation, of the present day, to prove that Jesus Christ is the son of God. The testimony of Porphyry. Testimony of Hierocles, the philosopher.--Testimony of the emperor Julian. Testimony of Taylor himself. The quotations from the New Testament by the most virulent enemies of Christianity of ancient times. Demonstrate the genuineness of the writings.--The immediate disciples of the apostles acknowledge the genuineness of the books. The epistles of the Apostolic fathers. Their genuineness unquestionable. These writings prove the genuineness of the New Testament. The epistles of Barnabas written shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem. Table illustrating that the New Testament writings were extant when Barnabas wrote, or, at least, that he was conversant with some of the writers of the book. The epistle of Clement, when and to whom written. Table exhibiting quotations from the New Testament in the epistle of Clement. Writings of Hermas; when written. Table exhibiting the quotations of Hermas from the New Testament. Ignatius, when he flourished. Table of his quotations from the New Testament. Polycarp, the friend of the apostle John. Table of his quotations from the New Testament. Summing up of the testimony of the apostolic fathers.--Ignatius and Polycarp seal their testimony with their blood.--Martyrdom of Polycarp 13

SECTION II.--Papias ascribes two gospels to Matthew and Mark. Testimony of Justin, of Irenaenus, of Tertullian, of Clemens Alexandrinus. Table of quotations by these witnesses. Testimony of Origen: His quotations from the New Testament. Testimony of Eusebius and Jerome.--Number and antiquity of the manuscripts of the New Testament. An argument for the genuineness of its books. Curious discovery which confirms the genuineness of the New Testament writings.--The council of Laodicea did not design to settle the Canon 67