Evidences of Christianity
Listen with the text on screen as you go — Compendium's read-along player keeps the book's words in sync with the narration. The first chapter is free, no account needed. A 7-day free trial unlocks the whole library; $5/month after, cancel anytime.
Chapters
- 1. Introduction — Part 1 of 19 9:36 Free
- 2. Introduction — Part 2 of 19 8:52
- 3. Introduction — Part 3 of 19 9:17
- 4. Introduction — Part 4 of 19 8:14
- 5. Introduction — Part 5 of 19 7:42
- 6. Introduction — Part 6 of 19 9:13
- 7. Introduction — Part 7 of 19 9:22
- 8. Introduction — Part 8 of 19 8:25
- 9. Introduction — Part 9 of 19 9:02
- 10. Introduction — Part 10 of 19 9:43
- 11. Introduction — Part 11 of 19 8:42
- 12. Introduction — Part 12 of 19 9:02
- 13. Introduction — Part 13 of 19 9:26
- 14. Introduction — Part 14 of 19 9:48
- 15. Introduction — Part 15 of 19 8:46
- 16. Introduction — Part 16 of 19 8:25
- 17. Introduction — Part 17 of 19 8:24
- 18. Introduction — Part 18 of 19 9:01
- 19. Introduction — Part 19 of 19 8:25
- 20. Section 1 — Part 1 of 5: The historical books of the New Testament, meaning t... 9:45
- 21. Section 1 — Part 2 of 5: III. Near the conclusion of the epistle to the Roman... 10:21
- 22. Section 1 — Part 3 of 5: We meet with quotations of three of the Gospels with... 9:29
- 23. Section 1 — Part 4 of 5: I have said that the testimony of Irenaeus in favour... 8:42
- 24. Section 1 — Part 5 of 5: XIII. An interval of only thirty years, and that occ... 8:34
- 25. Section 2: When the Scriptures are quoted, or alluded to, they... 8:19
- 26. Section 3: The Scriptures were in very early times collected in... 7:30
- 27. Section 4: Our present Sacred Writings were soon distinguished... 4:50
- 28. Section 5: Our Scriptures were publicly read and expounded in t... 4:25
- 29. Section 6: Commentaries were anciently written upon the Scriptu... 10:40
- 30. Section 7: Our Scriptures were received by ancient Christians o... 14:15
- 31. Section 8: The four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, thirteen... 8:08
- 32. Section 9: Our historical Scriptures were attacked by the early... 11:12
- 33. Section 10: Formal catalogues of authentic Scriptures were publi... 4:12
- 34. Section 11 — Part 1 of 32: These propositions cannot be predicated of any of th... 9:43
- 35. Section 11 — Part 2 of 32: No historical fact, I apprehend, is more certain, th... 8:27
- 36. Section 11 — Part 3 of 32: Or, to represent the same thing under a third suppos... 8:28
- 37. Section 11 — Part 4 of 32: V. A mark of historical truth, although only a certa... 9:04
- 38. Section 11 — Part 5 of 32: To hear some men talk, one would suppose the setting... 9:09
- 39. Section 11 — Part 6 of 32: II. It is not necessary to bring into the comparison... 10:05
- 40. Section 11 — Part 7 of 32: I apprehend that, when we remove from the comparison... 9:04
- 41. Section 11 — Part 8 of 32: 1. They were tentative 9:35
- 42. Section 11 — Part 9 of 32: It is also an advantage which this prophecy possesse... 8:58
- 43. Section 11 — Part 10 of 32: Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate b... 8:48
- 44. Section 11 — Part 11 of 32: If I were to describe in a very few words the scope... 9:12
- 45. Section 11 — Part 12 of 32: I would only add to these observations, that althoug... 9:16
- 46. Section 11 — Part 13 of 32: Saint Paul has it expressly, "If there be any other... 8:49
- 47. Section 11 — Part 14 of 32: I know nothing that could in this view be said bette... 8:34
- 48. Section 11 — Part 15 of 32: II. Our Lord enjoined no austerities 8:22
- 49. Section 11 — Part 16 of 32: When, therefore, we consider Christ as a moral teach... 9:12
- 50. Section 11 — Part 17 of 32: John v. 13; vi. 15.) and with the express care, as a... 9:50
- 51. Section 11 — Part 18 of 32: Again, in the same evangelist (v 9:22
- 52. Section 11 — Part 19 of 32: Again (Matt. xxi 9:29
- 53. Section 11 — Part 20 of 32: Luke xi. 27. "And it came to pass as he spake these... 9:32
- 54. Section 11 — Part 21 of 32: VI. In our Lord's commerce with his disciples, one v... 9:46
- 55. Section 11 — Part 22 of 32: One argument which has been much relied upon (but no... 10:27
- 56. Section 11 — Part 23 of 32: Joseph. Antiq. lib 10:53
- 57. Section 11 — Part 24 of 32: Philo, describing the conduct of the Jews of Alexand... 11:33
- 58. Section 11 — Part 25 of 32: Ib. "And it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.... 12:16
- 59. Section 11 — Part 26 of 32: Joseph. de Bell 9:36
- 60. Section 11 — Part 27 of 32: At any rate it appears from the form of the expressi... 9:46
- 61. Section 11 — Part 28 of 32: It remains only, in this place, to point out how the... 9:08
- 62. Section 11 — Part 29 of 32: But further, if we admit, upon the concurrent testim... 9:23
- 63. Section 11 — Part 30 of 32: The expressions employed by the historian are these... 8:28
- 64. Section 11 — Part 31 of 32: PARALLEL TESTIMONIES with the history are the letter... 9:24
- 65. Section 11 — Part 32 of 32: But even declamation hath its bounds; this public bo... 9:56
- 66. Section 2: Reflections Upon The Preceding Account 13:53
- 67. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 1 of 16 8:32
- 68. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 2 of 16 9:51
- 69. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 3 of 16 9:55
- 70. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 4 of 16 9:11
- 71. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 5 of 16 8:53
- 72. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 6 of 16 8:32
- 73. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 7 of 16 8:19
- 74. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 8 of 16 9:33
- 75. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 9 of 16 10:07
- 76. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 10 of 16 9:44
- 77. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 11 of 16 9:21
- 78. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 12 of 16 9:33
- 79. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 13 of 16 8:59
- 80. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 14 of 16 8:15
- 81. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 15 of 16 9:02
- 82. Section 3: Of The Religion Of Mahomet — Part 16 of 16 6:17
Read chapter 1
When, five years ago, an important station in the University of Cambridge awaited your Lordship's disposal, you were pleased to offer it to me. The circumstances under which this offer was made demand a public acknowledgment. I had never seen your Lordship; I possessed no connection which could possibly recommend me to your favour; I was known to you only by my endeavour, in common with many others, to discharge my duty as a tutor in the University; and by some very imperfect, but certainly well-intended, and, as you thought, useful publications since. In an age by no means wanting in examples of honourable patronage, although this deserve not to be mentioned in respect of the object of your Lordship's choice, it is inferior to none in the purity and disinterestedness of the motives which suggested it.
How the following work may be received, I pretend not to foretell. My first prayer concerning it is, that it may do good to any: my second hope, that it may assist, what it hath always been my earnest wish to promote, the religious part of an academical education. If in this latter view it might seem, in any degree, to excuse your Lordship's judgment of its author, I shall be gratified by the reflection that, to a kindness flowing from public principles, I have made the best public return in my power.
In the mean time, and in every event, I rejoice in the opportunity here afforded me of testifying the sense I entertain of your Lordship's conduct, and of a notice which I regard as the most flattering distinction of my life.
I am, MY LORD, With sentiments of gratitude and respect, Your Lordship's faithful And most obliged servant,
WILLIAM PALEY. PART 1.
OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIANITY, AND WHEREIN IT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR OTHER MIRACLES.
Proposition stated
PROPOSITION I.
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.
CHAPTER I
Evidence of the Suffering of the first Propagators of Christianity, from the Nature of the Case.
CHAPTER II
Evidence of the Sufferings of the first Propagators of Christianity, from Profane Testimony.
CHAPTER III
Indirect Evidence of the Sufferings of the first Propagators of Christianity, from the Scriptures and other ancient Christian Writings.
CHAPTER IV
Direct Evidence of the same.
CHAPTER V
Observations upon the preceding Evidence.
CHAPTER VI
That the Story for which the first Propagators of Christianity suffered was miraculous.
CHAPTER VII
That it was, in the main, the Story which we have now proved by indirect Considerations.
CHAPTER VIII
The same proved from the Authority of our Historical Scriptures.
CHAPTER IX
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.
CHAPTER X.
OF THE DIRECT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIANITY, AND WHEREIN IT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR OTHER MIRACLES.
PROPOSITION II.
CHAPTER I
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.
CHAPTER II
Consideration of some specific Instances
PART II.
OF THE AUXILIARY EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY,
CHAPTER I
Prophecy
CHAPTER II
The Morality of the Gospel
CHAPTER III
The Candour of the Writers of the New Testament
CHAPTER IV
Identity of Christ's Character
CHAPTER V
Originality of our Saviour's Character
CHAPTER VI
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.
CHAPTER VII
Undesigned Coincidences.
CHAPTER VIII
Of the History of the Resurrection.
CHAPTER IX
Of the Propagation of Christianity. SECT. 2 Reflections upon the preceding Account. SECT. 3 Of the Religion of Mahomet.
PART III
A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF SOME POPULAR OBJECTIONS.
CHAPTER I
The Discrepancies between the several Gospels.
CHAPTER II
Erroneous Opinions imputed to the Apostles.
CHAPTER III
The Connection of Christianity with the Jewish History.
CHAPTER IV
Rejection of Christianity.
CHAPTER V
That the Christian Miracles are not recited, or appealed to, by early Christian Writers themselves, so fully or frequently as might have been expected.
CHAPTER VI
Want of Universality in the Knowledge and Reception of Christianity, and of greater Clearness in the Evidence.
CHAPTER VII
Supposed effects of Christianity.
CHAPTER VIII
Conclusion.
PREPARATORY CONSIDERATIONS.
I deem it unnecessary to prove that mankind stood in need of a revelation because I have met with no serious person who thinks that, even under the Christian revelation, we have too much light, or any degree of assurance which is superfluous. I desire, moreover, that in judging of Christianity, it may be remembered that the question lies between this religion and none: for, if the Christian religion be not credible, no one, with whom we have to do, will support the pretensions of any other.
Suppose, then, the world we live in to have had a Creator; suppose it to appear, from the predominant aim and tendency of the provisions and contrivances observable in the universe, that the Deity, when he formed it, consulted for the happiness of his sensitive creation; suppose the disposition which dictated this counsel to continue; suppose a part of the creation to have received faculties from their Maker, by which they are capable of rendering a moral obedience to his will, and of voluntarily pursuing any end for which he has designed them; suppose the Creator to intend for these, his rational and accountable agents, a second state of existence, in which their situation will be by their behaviour in the first state, by which suppose (and by no other) the objection to the divine government in not putting a difference between the good and the bad, and the inconsistency of this confusion with the care and benevolence discoverable in the works of the Deity is done away; suppose it to be of the utmost importance to the subjects of this dispensation to know what is intended for them, that is, suppose the knowledge of it to be highly conducive to the happiness of the species, a purpose which so many provisions of nature are calculated to promote: Suppose, nevertheless, almost the whole race, either by the imperfection of their faculties, the misfortune of their situation, or by the loss of some prior revelation, to want this knowledge, and not to be likely, without the aid of a new revelation, to attain it; under these circumstances, is it improbable that a revelation should be made? Is it incredible that God should interpose for such a purpose? Suppose him to design for mankind a future state; is it unlikely that he should acquaint him with it?
Now in what way can a revelation be made, but by miracles? In none which we are able to conceive. Consequently, in whatever degree it is probable, or not very improbable, that a revelation should be communicated to mankind at all: in the same degree is it probable, or not very improbable, that miracles should be wrought. Therefore, when miracles are related to have been wrought in the promulgating of a revelation manifestly wanted, and, if true, of inestimable value, the improbability which arises from the miraculous nature of the things related is not greater than the original improbability that such a revelation should be imparted by God.
Get chapter 2 free by email
Chapter 1 is free for everyone. Leave your email and we'll unlock chapter 2 of any book — no account needed.
Check your inbox — chapter 2 is on the way. 📖