THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. Pages FREE enquiry encouraged by Christianity 1, 2. The opposition of Infidels favorable to Christi- Christianity, notwithstanding, on the decline 3, 4. Artifices of the French Philosophers to destroy - - 4, 5. The charge of the decline of Christianity charged, cates Mr. Gibbon charges Christ and his Apostles with having predicted the end of the world, in their Grotius says, it was for wise purposes the pious de- ception was permitted to take place Christians called upon, by Dr. Edwards, to con- cede the Objection to the Adversary The Bishop of Landaff charged by Dr. Edwards with not having been extremely solicitous to relieve the Apostles from the accusation of Error. The Bishop takes no notice of the Objection, as it relates to Christ - 7, to 9. Passages of Scripture, on which Mr. Gibbon's Necessity - 11 Necessity and advantages of re-examining the Present imperfect, state of Scripture Criticism, The Study of the Gospels as Histories, and parti- cularly as Histories of the Controversy concern- ing the true nature of the Messiah's Character, The coming of Christ the subject of Prophecy Prophecy of Daniel concerning the coming of Excellent remarks, by Mr. Richards, on Moses's ibid. The attention this language excited The expectation of the coming of the Messiah, very general, when Jesus appeared-proved by Dr. Sykes-Bishop Chandler-Dr. White, and Mr. Richards and among Antient Writers, by Josephus-Tacitus, and Suetonius. Acknow- ledged, likewise, by the Atheistical Volney 17--20, Nature of the expectations of the Jews concern- ing the coming of the Messiah, different from his real Character-proved by Dr. White and The manner in which Jesus conducted himself to - Importance of considering the Gospels as Histories The Beatitudes intended to correct the prejudices of the Jews concerning the nature of the Mes- The expressions the Salt of the Earth and the - - 34, &c. Excellence of the Gospel Morality stated by Mr. Graves, in his vindication of Christ and his Apostles from the charge of Enthusiasm - 40. Beatitudes applicable to none, with so much pro- The Disciples invested with a Commission to an- Distinction between Primary and Secondary senses Mr. Kett the Advocate of a double meaning of this . 128, 129. 126, &c. Collateral evidence of the true meaning of the xxivth of Matthew, and particularly of the ex- pression Of that day and hour, &c. drawn from our Lord's Answer to the Question of the The Question of the Pharisees relates to the same subject with those of the Disciples, in Matthew xxiv. and the parallel chapters Comparison of Matthew xxiv. and Luke xvii. with New interpretations of Matthew xxv. proposed 140, &c. The Tryal of Jesus considered, with reference to his Mr. |