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Excerpt from Supernatural Religion, Vol. 3 of 3: An Inquiry Into the Reality of Divine Revelation Before we proceed to examine the evidence for miracles and the reality of Divine Revelation which is furnished by the last historical book of the New Testament, entitled the "Acts of the Apostles," it is well that we should briefly recall to mind some characteristics of the document, which most materially affect the value of any testimony emanating from it. Whilst generally asserting the resurrection of Jesus, and his bodily ascension, regarding which indeed it adds fresh details, this work presents to us a new cycle of miracles, and so profusely introduces supernatural agency into the history of the early church that, in comparison with it, the Gospels seem almost sober narratives. The Apostles are instructed and comforted by visions and revelations, and they, and all who believe, are filled with the Holy Spirit and speak with other tongues. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Supernatural Religion, Vol. 1 of 2: An Inquiry Into the Reality of Divine Revelation But the evidence of miracles, at least to Protestant Christians 1s not, in our day, of this cogent description. It is not the evidence of our senses, but of witnesses, and even this not at first hand, but resting on the attestation of books and traditions. And even in the case of the original eye-witnesses, the supernatural facts asserted on their alleged testimony are not of the transcendent character supposed in our example, about the nature of which, or the impossibility of their having had a natural origin, there could be little room for doubt. On the contrary, the recorded miracles are, in the first place, generally such as it would have been extremely difficult to verify as matters of fact, and in the next place, are hardly ever beyond the possibility of hav ing been brought about by human means, or by the spontaneous agencies of nature. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Supernatural Religion, Vol. 3 of 3: An Inquiry Into the Reality of Divine Revelation As a general rule, any document so full of miraculous episodes and supernatural occurrences would, without hesitation, be characterized as fabulous and incredible, and would not, by any sober-minded reader, be for a moment accepted as historical. There is no other testi mony for these miracles. Let the reader endeavour to form some conception of the nature and amount of evi dence necessary to establish the truth of statements antecedently so incredible, and compare it with the testimony of this solitary and anonymous document, the character and value of which we shall now proceed more closely to examine. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1875.

This study is the result of many years of earnest and serious investigation, undertaken in the first instance for the regulation of personal belief of the author. His main object has been conscientiously and fully to state the facts of the case, to make no assertions the grounds for which are not clearly given, and as far as possible to place before the reader the materials from which a judgment may be intelligently formed regarding the important subject discussed. Fear of the results of investigation, in author's opinion, should deter no man, for the issue in any case is gain: emancipation from delusion, or increase of assurance. That which is true in Religion cannot be shaken; that which is false no one can desire to preserve. Contents: Miracles in Relation to Christianity Miracles in Relation to the Order of Nature Reason in Relation to the Order of Nature The Age of Miracles The Permanent Stream of Miraculous Pretension Miracles in Relation to Ignorance and Superstition The Synoptic Gospels: Clement of Rome – The Epistle of Barnabas – The Pastor of Hermas The Epistles of Ignatius – The Epistle of Polycarp Justin Martyr Hegesippus – Papias of Hierapolis The Clementines – The Epistle to Diognetus Basilides – Valentinus Marcion Tatian – Dionysius of Corinth Melito of Sardis – Claudius Apollinaris – Athenagoras – The Epistle of Vienne and Lyons Ptolemæus and Heracleon – Celsus – The Canon of Muratori – Results The Fourth Gospel: The External Evidence Authorship and Character of the Fourth Gospel The Acts of the Apostles: The External Evidence Evidence Regarding the Authorship Design and Composition Primitive Christianity Stephen the Martyr Philip and the Eunuch. Peter and Cornelius Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles The Direct Evidence for Miracles: The Epistles and the Apocalypse The Evidence of Paul The Resurrection and Ascension: The Relation of Evidence to Subject The Evidence of the Gospels The Evidence of Paul Conclusions