CHAPTER II.

Genuineness of the gospel narratives. 1.  Terms defined—­Necessity of knowing the Authors of the Gospels—­2.  Remarks on their Origin—­They were not written immediately, but successively at Intervals—­Earlier Documents noticed by Luke—­3.  Manner of Quotation by the Early Church Fathers—­4. External Evidences traced upward from the Close of the Second Century—­Testimony of Irenaeus—­Of Tertullian—­Of Clement of Alexandria—­Letter of the Churches of Lyons and Vienne—­5.  Comprehensiveness and Force of these Testimonies—­Freedom of Judgment in the Primitive Churches—­This shown by the History of the Disputed Books—­6.  Public Character and Use of the Gospels—­7.  Earlier Testimonies—­Justin Martyr—­His Designation of the Gospels—­They are Our Canonical Gospels—­Explanation of his Variations and Additions—­His References to the Gospel of John—­8.  Testimony of Papias—­9.  Epistle to Diognetus—­10.  The Apostolic Fathers—­Clement of Rome—­Ignatius Polycarp—­The So-called Epistle of Barnabas—­11.  The Ancient Versions and Muratorian Canon—­Syriac Peshito—­Old Latin—­12.  Testimony of the Heretical Sects—­Marcion—­Valentinus—­Tatian—­13.  Conclusiveness of the above External Testimony—­14. Internal Evidences—­Relation of the First Three Gospels to the Last—­They differ in Time—­The First Three written before the Destruction of Jerusalem; the Fourth after that Event—­They differ in Character and Contents—­Yet were all alike received by the Churches—­15.  Relation of the First Three Gospels to Each Other—­They have Remarkable Agreements and Differences—­These and their General Reception explained by their Genuineness—­16.  The Gospels contain no Trace of Later Events—­17.  Or Later Modes of Thought. 18.  From the Character of the Language

CHAPTER III.

Uncorrupt preservation of the gospel narratives. 1.  What is meant by an Uncorrupt Text—­2.  Ancient Materials for Writing—­Palimpsests—­Uncial and Cursive Manuscripts—­3.  The Apostolic Autographs have perished, but We have their Contents—­This shown from the Agreement of Manuscripts—­From the Quotations of the Fathers—­From Ancient Versions—­Character of the “Various Readings”—­They do not affect the Substance of the Gospel—­4.  The Ancient Versions made from a Pure Text—­This shown from the Public Reading of the Gospels from the Beginning—­From the Multiplication of Copies—­From the High Value attached to the Gospels—­From the Want of Time for Essential Corruptions—­From the Absence of all Proof of such Corruptions—­5.  The Above Remarks apply essentially to the other New Testament Books

CHAPTER IV.