Companion to the Bible | Page 2

the Parts in this Investigation

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 Iren?us--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.
AUTHENTICITY AND CREDIBILITY OF THE GOSPEL NARRATIVES. 1. General Remarks--2. Their Authors Sincere and Truthful--3. Competent as Men--4. And as Witnesses--5. Character of the Works which they record-- Supernatural Character of our Lord's Miracles--They were very Numerous and Diversified, and performed openly--6. And in the Presence of His Enemies--7. The Resurrection of Jesus--Its Vital Importance--8. The Character of Jesus proves the Truth of the Record--Its Originality and Symmetry--It unites Tranquillity with Fervor--Wisdom with Freedom from Guile--Prudence with Boldness--Tenderness with Severity--Humility with the Loftiest Claims--He is Heavenly-minded without Asceticism--His Perfect Purity--His Virtues Imitable for All alike--Our Lord's Character as a Teacher--His Freedom from the Errors of His Age and Nation--His Religion One for All Men and Ages--This explained by its Divine Origin--Our Lord's Manner of Teaching--His Divine Mission--Divinity of His Person--Originality of its Manifestations--God His Father in a Peculiar Sense--He is the Source of Light and Life--He has Inward Dominion over the Soul--He dwells in Believers, and they in Him--The Inference--His Power over the Human Heart--Supernatural Character of the Gospel--A Word on Objections

CHAPTER V.
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES AND THE ACKNOWLEDGED EPISTLES. 1. These Books a Natural Sequel to the Gospels--2. _The Acts of the Apostles_--External Testimonies--3. Internal Evidence--4. Credibility--5. Date of Composition--6. _The Acknowledged Epistles_--Distinction of Acknowledged and Disputed Books--7. First Group of Pauline Epistles--Second Group, or the Pastoral Epistles--Their Date--Their Peculiar Character--8. First Epistles of Peter and First of John--9. Mutual Relation between the Gospels and Later Books--10. Argument from Undesigned Coincidences

CHAPTER VI.
THE DISPUTED BOOKS. 1. The Question here simply concerning the Extent of the Canon--2. The Primitive Age One of Free Inquiry--3. Its Diversity of Judgment no Decisive Argument against a Given Book--4. The Caution of the Early Churches gives Weight to their Judgment--This Judgment Negative as well as Positive

CHAPTER VII.
INSPIRATION AND THE CANON. General Remarks--1. Rule of Judgment determined--It is the Writer's Relation to Christ--2. Christ Himself Infallible--3. _The Apostles_--They held the nearest Relation to Him--Their Infallibility as Teachers shown--From the Necessity of the Case--From Christ's Express Promises--From their Own Declarations-- Summary of the Argument in Respect to the Apostles--4. Inspiration of the _Apostolic Men_--5. Argument from the Character of the Books of the New Testament--6. The Inspiration of the Sacred Writers Plenary-- 7. Principles on which the Canon is formed

CHAPTER VIII.
INSEPARABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW TESTAMENT. General Remarks--1. Previous Revelations implied in Christ's Advent--2. In the Character of the Jewish People--3. Proved from the New Testament-- Christ's Explicit Declarations--4. The New Testament based on the Facts of the Old--The Fall of Man--The Abrahamic Covenant, which was conditioned on Faith alone, and fulfilled in Christ--Christ the End of the Mosaic Economy--In its Prophetical Order--In its Kingly Office--In its Priestly Office--5. The New Testament Writers the Interpreters of the Old

CHAPTER IX.
AUTHORSHIP