CHAPTER I: That there is not satisfactory Evidence, that Persons pretending to be

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.

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.