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the Oriental manufcripts, yet the manuscripts of the Western church, over which Anaftafius had no authority, would have remained unaltered. Further, if we should grant even this, yet it was impoffible to alter all the manuferipts of all the verfions. Had therefore fuch an alteration been actually undertaken, it could not have been univerfal; but there would ftill have remained either the manufcripts of the Weft, or at least the versions, from which we might have been enabled to reftore the original text. Since therefore not only all the Oriental and all the Western manufcripts of the Greek Gofpels perfectly coincide with each other; but also all the old translations, and all the citations and commentaries of the primitive ecclefiaftical writers are in perfect harmony with them,— it is moft evident, either that the relation of Victor is a mere fable, or that fuch an alteration, fhould it even have

been

been refolved on, was never actually put into execution.

Had the enemies of Chriftianity studied the proofs of our holy religion with more diligence and impartial care, they would not at least have confidered fuch palpable abfurdities as objections to its truth. The objection of Collins has perhaps a femblance of reason. But when Chubb fays-'It is abundantly evident that the Bible has been corrupted in the dark ages of popery by the clergy, in whofe hands it at

g

f See Remarks upon a late discourse of free-thinking, by Phileleutherus Lipfienfis,' Cambridge, the fixth edition, 1725, in 8vo. Dr. Richard Bentley, the author of this work, defends the authenticity of our New Teftament, particularly against the objections which are drawn from the Various Readings, and from the above-mentioned information of Victor, p. 61-84.In all probability this story of Victor took its origin from his having misunderstood the account concerning Macedonius, Patriarch of Conftantinople. See loc. cit. p. 82.

8 In his Pofthumous Works, vol. i. p. 65, 66, 118, 121, 122, &c.

that

that time exclufively exifted, it is in fact to affert, that the Pope and his clergy had brought together all the manufcripts of the New Teftament, and the almoft innumerable manufcripts of the different versions, and all the works of the ecclefiaftical fathers; and when, with wonderful fagacity, they had projected and carried into execution fuch an almoft miraculous undertaking, that with inconceivable ftupidity they altered not a fingle one of thofe paffages which evidently contradict their erroneous tenets, for inftance, concerning papal fupremacy, the worship of faints, the mafs, celibacy, monaftic vows, purgatory, and indulgences.

PART

UNIV CA

PART II.

THE CREDIBILITY OF THE NEW

TESTAMENT.

BOOK I.

The Authors of the New Teftament poffefs in a very high Degree all the requifite Qualities of credible Evidences.

IF we now unite the propofitions al

ready proved; if we confider the great number of credible witneffes, who unanimously relate, that foon after the death of Jefus four Gofpels, and the fame number of Epiftles as ftill exist in the collection of the New Teftament, were written by the Apoftles and Difciples of Jefus; that thefe books, as we poffefs them at prefent, are the

very fame in all the tranflations and manufcripts of the original; and perfectly coincide with the quotations and commentaries of the primitive writers; -we must either reject the writings of Xenophon, Thucydides, Livy and Tacitus, for whofe authenticity neither fo many nor strong arguments can be found, and, in a word, all the ancient writings in the world, as not genuine, -or we must acknowledge, that the fcriptures of the New Teftament are authentic, and in every matter of importance, perfectly uncorrupted.

But from this alone we cannot determine their Credibility. An author may write of events, which happened in his time and in the place of his refidence, but fhould he be either credulous or a fanatic, or fhould we have reafon to fufpect his honefty, his evidence is of no value.

In order, there

fore, to establish the Credibility of an

author, we muft examine more closely

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