Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

•;i:- "'RELiaiOUS ERRORS OF AlU. MAIIAN. 411of knowing and bcini^ witisficd tliat tlic gospels wliicli Uk; cliurch receivedwere indeed all (hat they purported to be; tliat is, laitiifiil narrations ofthe life and doctrines of Christ acconluKj to what could be collected fromthe verbal accounts which his apostles had given, or by tradition been supposedto have given, and, as such, worlhy 'of all arxcptatioa.'IDOi]. ''The objection of Faustus becomes from its own nature the mostindubitable and incxceptionable evidence, carrying us up to the very earlyage, the fourth centur}^, in which he wrote, with a demonstration that thegospels were then universally known and received under the precise designation,and none other, than that with which they have come down to us,even as the gospels, respectively, according to Matthew, Mark, Jiuke, andJohn.1004. '' Of course there can be no occasion to pursue the inquiry intotlie authenticity of the Christian Scriptures lower down than the fourthcentury.1005. "1. Though, in that age, there was no established canon orauthoritative declaration that such and none other than those which havecome down to us were the books which contained the Christian rule of faith.lOOG. "2. And though 'no manuscript of these writings now inexistence is prior to the sixth century, and various readings which, asappears from the quotations of the Fathers, were in the text of the GreekTestament are to be found in none of the manuscripts which are at presentremaining.' Michadls, vol. ii. p. 160.1007. ^' 3. And though many passages which are now found in theseScriptures were not contained in any ancient copies whatever.1008. '' 4. And though ' in our common editions of the Greek Testamentarc MANY readings which exist not in a single manuscript, but arefounded on mere conjecture.'— 3Iarsh's Michaelis, vol. ii. p. 40G.1000. " 5. And though ' it is notorious, that the orthodox charge theheretics with corrupting the text, and that the heretics recriminate uponthe orthodox.' Unitarian New Version, p. 121.2000. "6. And though ^it is an undoubted fact that the heretics werein the right in many points of criticism where the Fathers accused themof wilful corruption.' Bp. 3Iarsh, vol. ii. p. 362.2001. "7. And though 'it is notorious that forged writings underthe names of the apostles were in circulation almost from the apostolicage.'—See 2 Thess. ii. 2, quoted in Unitarian New Version.^2002. "8. And though, 'not long after Christ's ascension into heaven,several histories of his life and doctrines, full of pious frauds and fabulouswonders, were composed by persons whose intentions, perhaps, were notbad, but whose writings discovered the greatest superstition and ignorance.'— Mosheim, vol. i. p. 100.2003. "0. And though, says the great Scaliger, 'They put into theirScriptures whatever they thought would serve their purpose.'!nohodif, and never at any time bad any voice, judgment, or option in the business ofreligion, but always believed that which their godfathers and godmothers did promise andvow that they should believe. God or devil, and any Scriptures their masters pleased,were always all one to them.Almost from the apostolic age!* Why, the text itself, if it prove any thing, provesthat such forged writings were in existence absolutely ix the apostolic age, and among theapostles themselves.-j- " Omnia quto Christianismo conducere putabaut bibliis suis interseruerunt.— Tindaliocttante.