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 Attestation of the Accounts which they delivered, and solely in consequence of their Belief of those Accounts; and that they submitted, from the same Motives, to new Rules of Conduct.

Evidence of the Suffering of the first Propagators of Christianity, from the Nature of the Case.

Evidence of the Sufferings of the first Propagators of Christianity, from Profane Testimony.

Indirect Evidence of the Sufferings of the first Propagators of Christianity, from the Scriptures and other ancient Christian Writings.

Direct Evidence of the same.

Observations upon the preceding Evidence.

That the Story for which the first Propagators of Christianity suffered was miraculous.

That it was, in the main, the Story which we have now proved by indirect Considerations.

The same proved from the Authority of our Historical Scriptures.

Of the Authenticity of the historical Scriptures, in eleven Sections

SECT. 1 Quotations of the historical Scriptures by ancient Christian Writers.

SECT. 2 Of the peculiar Respect with which they were quoted.

SECT. 3 The Scriptures were in very early Times collected into a distinct Volume.

SECT. 4 And distinguished by appropriate Names and Titles of Respect.

SECT. 5 Were publicly read and expounded in the religious Assemblies of the early Christians.

SECT. 6 Commentaries, &c., were anciently written upon the Scriptures.

SECT. 7 They were received by ancient Christians of different Sects and persuasions.

SECT. 8 The four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, thirteen Epistles of St. 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.

SECT. 9 Our present Gospels were considered by the adversaries of Christianity as containing the Accounts upon which the Religion was founded.

SECT. 10 Formal Catalogues of authentic Scriptures were published, in all which our present Gospels were included.

SECT. 11 The above Propositions cannot be predicated of those Books which are commonly called Apocryphal Books of the New Testament.

Recapitulation.

OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIANITY, AND WHEREIN IT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR OTHER MIRACLES.

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.

Consideration of some specific Instances

Prophecy

The Morality of the Gospel

The Candour of the Writers of the New Testament

Identity of Christ’s Character

Originality of our Saviour’s Character

Conformity of the Facts occasionally mentioned or referred to in Scripture with the State of things in these Times, as represented by foreign and independent Accounts.

Undesigned Coincidences.

Of the History of the Resurrection.

Of the Propagation of Christianity.

SECT. 2 Reflections upon the preceding Account.

SECT. 3 Of the Religion of Mahomet.

The Discrepancies between the several Gospels.

Erroneous Opinions imputed to the Apostles.

The Connection of Christianity with the Jewish History.

Rejection of Christianity.

That the Christian Miracles are not recited, or appealed to, by early Christian Writers themselves, so fully or frequently as might have been expected.

Want of Universality in the Knowledge and Reception of Christianity, and of greater Clearness in the Evidence.

Supposed effects of Christianity.

Conclusion.