A brief view of the progress of Christianity during about seventy
years from the commencement of its promulgation,
342-349

This rapid extension compared with that of the doctrines of heathen

philosophers,

And with the propagation of Mohammedanism, .

349

. 351

And with the success attending efforts at the present day for the

establishment of Christianity among the heathen,

. 355

The propagation of the gospel by the apostles was a miracle, . 357

The absurdities necessarily attaching to any effort to account for it

on other grounds than that of the power and favor of God, . 358

The argument from propagation is not yet complete. It is yet to
receive immense additional force from the success which is yet
promised to the gospel,

361

A fourth line of argument, and a fourth independent proof commenced
in this lecture.

The true results of any system of doctrine are always a correct expo-
nent of its character, as true or false.

362

This is a test to which the Saviour himself directed us,

It were well if infidelity were more frequently tried by this test, 363

The consideration of the fruits of Christianity divided into,

I. The effects of Christianity on society in general,

II. Its effects on the character and happiness of its genuine dis-

ciples,

A brief survey of the moral condition of the world at the first publi-

cation of the gospel,

1. The religion of the heathen in the age of the apostles, . 365

2. The spirit of cruelty that reigned among them,

3. Their degrading vices,

The striking contrast wherever genuine Christianity has reign-
ed,

375-382

There is no possible way of accounting for this contrast, but by ascrib-
ing it to the direct influence of Christianity,

Confessions of infidels,

Illustrations of the fruit of Christianity in modern missions among

the heathen,

387

Defence of Christianity against the charge of being the cause of the

wars, persecutions, etc., which are connected with its history, 391

Application of the argument. The absurdities necessarily involved

in the creed of the infidel,

399

LECTURE XI.

THE FRUITS OF CHRISTIANITY-Continued,

405

The trial of Christianity by its fruits is as philosophical as it is scrip-

tural. Eighteen centuries have afforded all conceivable opportuni-

ties of ascertaining what are its genuine fruits,

. 406

. 406

. . 405

The present lecture confined to the fruits of Christianity in the char

acter and happiness of its genuine disciples,

Reason for placing such fruits among the external evidences,

1. The moral transformations which the gospel in all ages has noto-

riously wrought, cannot be accounted for but on the supposition of

a divine power accompanying its operations,

. 406

2. The fruits of Christianity in the lives of its genuine disciples, con-

trasted with those which notoriously characterize the lives of its

opposers,

. . 418

3. The fruits, etc., as displayed in the deaths of its genuine disci-

ples, contrasted with those exhibited in the deaths of its op-

posers,

Practical conclusion,

438

. 455

LECTURE XII.

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT AND APPLICATION TO OBJEC-

TIONS,

458

The recapitulation of the argument in the preceding lectures, 458-474

This review leads to the consideration of,

1. The plainness and simplicity of the evidences of Christianity, 474

2. Their great variety and accumulation,

3. Their impressiveness,

4. The whole array is strictly philosophical,

475

. 478

. 482

The objection founded on the mysteriousness of certain things in
Christianity answered,

1491

495

The objection that we cannot understand the reason of certain things

for which Christianity is responsible, answered,

The injustice done to Christianity by placing her so exclusively on

the defensive. Let infidelity be placed in the same position, . 500

LECTURE XIII.

INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES, AND CONCLUDING OBSER-

VATIONS,
505

Christianity and the Scriptures are essentially associated. But the
proof of divine revelation in the former is no proof of divine

inspiration in the latter. Need of inspiration in the book which

tells us what Christianity is,

The proposition to be sustained in this lecture is, that

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,

Inspiration defined,

. 505

506

507

Having established the credibility of the Saviour and his apostles as

messengers sent of God, our direct reference in the present inquiry

is to what they have asserted; so that our simple question is, Does

the New Testament bear witness that the several books of the Bible

were treated by the Saviour or his apostles as divinely inspired? 508

I. The inquiry begun with regard to the books of the Old Testa-

ment,
508

1. The Saviour and his apostles regarded the Old Testament with at

least as much reverence as did the Jews in their day, . . 508

2. We have the direct assertion of the inspiration of the books of the

Old Testament by St. Paul,.
510

II. The inquiry continued with regard to the books of the New Testa-

ment,

512

1. The inspiration of the New Testament may be naturally and

reasonably inferred from that of the Old,
512

2. The same conclusion necessarily follows from the evident inspira-

tion of the apostles in their preaching and other official acts, . 514

3. If the apostles did not intend to produce this conviction, and it

be not well founded, they adopted the most likely means of leading

us into a most important heresy,

Practical address to readers in conclusion,

518

523

PREFACE TO THE SIXTH EDITION.

So many and so remarkable have been the instances which have come to the author's knowledge of a divine blessing attending the reading of this book, to the turning of men from infidelity, not only to the belief of the truth, but to the earnest following of Christ, that he cannot but regard it as a call from God to endeavor to promote more widely its circulation. It would make a very interesting little book were it in the power of the author to recollect and relate the particulars of the many cases of persons who have ascribed their conversion from infidelity, and their affectionate embracing of the gospel, under the blessing of God, to the use of this little, unpretending work. In many instances, the accounts were given to the author by the persons themselves earnestly seeking an interview for the purpose; in others, by their friends made happy by their conversion, or by those who had advised the reading of the book, and wished its writer to be partaker with them in the joy of knowing that it had been made a signal blessing. Some are now in the ministry of the gospel, who, when they began the perusal, were in the darkness of infidelity. A copy of the first edition was sent by the author, as a present, to the