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than was adopted by the only two gentlemen who thought proper to make any public attack upon the first edition, by clearly reconciling the several objectionable passages, as the scriptures really exist, without recurring either to any human authority, or to a fanciful transposition of paragraphs, or to hypothetical systems unwarranted by the Gospels themselves; for, by such means, a man of a fertile imagination may possibly frame an ideal history of Jesus, which may comprehend the most incongruous circumstances, as geometricians can contrive to draw a circle of some diameter or other through any three points which lie not in a right line; but, if such modes of interpreting scripture may be allowed, the most ingenious novel-writer will make the ablest commentator; and in removing the difficulties of the evangelical histories, will far surpass the efforts of the most learned doctors of Christendom.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

Section.

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I. General remarks upon the contents of the Evangelical Histories, and the historical evidence of their authenticity.. 17 II. The only certain evidence of the truth of any Divine Revelation III. Reasons why the testimony of those writers whom the Church call Orthodox, cannot afford us satisfaction........ IV. Further reasons for not admitting the testimony of the Fathers of the Church, of the second and third centuries.. 30 V. Still greater defects in their testimony, derived from the received maxim of those schools of Philosophy in which they had all been educated

VI. Reasons for preferring the Histories of Luke, and making them the standard of comparison between the Evangelical Histories

CHAP. I.-Gospel according to Luke.

I. Remarks on the style and composition of this Gospel-Cor-
rupted with sundry interpolations-The story of the herd
of swine.......

II. Interpolations in the Lord's Prayer-Baptism of Jesus-
Temptation-And Transfiguration

.....

III. One of greater importance in the two first chapters-Some others of less moment

CHAP. II.-Gospel according to Luke continued.

I. Agreement between the internal and external evidence in favour of Luke's Histories-Supernatural testimony also necessary to prove the truth of any historian of a divine revelation

II. Miracles recorded in this Gospel

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The Sections in the pages marked thus (*), were omitted in the printing; But the fresh paragraph in each, denotes where they ought to have been inserted

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V. The suddenness of the Jewish destruction-The unjust.
Judge General want of faith at Christ's coming-Pará
ble of the ten pounds Lamentation over Jerusalem-
Why these predictions could not be written after Jerusa- . !
lem was destroyed-The. husbandmen and vineyard-
Promise of baptism with the Holy Ghost-Important ... i
observations....

VI. Review of the evidence in favour of this Gospel Silas, 72

the real author of this History, and of the Acts of the

Apostles-Reflections on the evidence of the authenticity,

accuracy, and credibility of the two: Histories of Silas or

Luke

CHAP. IV. Gospel according to Matthew continued.

Section.

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I. The Sermon upon the Mount-Improbable that it was delivered at such time and place-Its assertion respecting the Law contradictory to the Prophets of both Covenants -That the Lord's Prayer was taught at this time, inconsistent with Luke's History-Inconsistency of the directions given for fasting-Casting pearls before swine.... 173 II. Miracle of healing the Centurion's servant-Of the demons in the herd of swine-Enumeration of the names of the twelve Apostles-Kingdom of Heaven suffering violence, and taken forcibly by violent men-Another misapplication of this writer of one of the old prophecies-The author ignorant of the meaning of the sign which Jonah was to the Ninevites

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fII. Remarks on the parables of this writer compared with those
of Luke-Parable of the sower-Ditto of the man who
sowed good seed in his field-Two ditto transcribed from
Luke-Ditto of the merchant seeking goodly pearls-Pa-
rable of the net cast into the sea
IV. Cause of the death of John the Baptist-That man is defiled,
not by that which goeth into his mouth, but that which
cometh out-Parable of the king that took account of his
servants-Different kinds of eunuchs

.....

184

192

202

V. Parable of the householder hiring labourers into his vineyard -Misapprehension of the writer of Zechariah's meaning in the words," an ass and a colt, the foal of an ass"-Parable of the man who had two sons-Parable of the householder who planted a vineyard and let it out-Parable of the king who made a marriage for his son .... 200 VI. Inconsistency of this writer with Luke, in the time assigned for our Lord's making his pathetic ejaculation over Jerusalem-Parable of the ten virgins-Ditto of the talents-This writer's description of the day of judgment -History of the institution of the Lord's Supper, and its inconsistency with that of Luke

VII. Subsequent contradictions between this writer and Luke, to the conclusion of his Gospel, which infallibly prove that one of them is fabulous and false

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218

... 227

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VIII, Miracles of Jesus recorded by this writer-Testimony of the prophecies recorded in this Gospel-Prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem

CHAP. V.-Gospel according to Mark,

I. General remarks-Style in which it is written-Its manner of beginning-And contradictory conclusionEnumeration of the names of the Apostles-Parable of the sower

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II. That the Apostles anointed the sick-they healed with oil— Origin of extreme unction-Jesus curing a person deaf and dumb-Inconsistency of this Gospel with both the preceding, respecting the sign of the Prophet JonasJesus giving sight to a blind man-Prophecy of the recompense of persecuted Christians, even in the present life Prediction respecting Peter's denying his Master.. 261

CHAP. VI. Gospel according to John.

.... 262

I. Remarks on the style in which this Gospel is written-
Contradiction between this writer and Matthew, re-
specting John the Baptist-This writer's inconsistency
with Luke in his account of the first disciples of Jesus,
and of their motives for following him—Similar incoñ-
sistency respecting our Lord's driving the traders out
of the temple...
II. The writer's assertion that Jesus by his disciples baptized
more persons than John, before John was cast into pri-
son-The discourse of Jesus with the woman of Sa-
maria-Assertion of our Lord, that other men labour-
ed, and that his disciples reaped the fruits of their
labour-The writer's confused account of the feasts of
the Jews His ignorance that one of the Apostles was
the brother of Jesus-Inconsistency of this writer's ac-
count of the places of our Lord's residence with that
given us by Luke

.....

III. His contradiction to Luke, in the circumstances which preceded, accompanied, and followed our Lord's crucifixion ....

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284

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