The main brunt of the argument, therefore, conies on the biblical testimony to the actuality of the miracles, and hence the character of the documents of primitive Christianity, that is, of the New Testament, becomes of the utmost im portance; and here the opponents of Christianity have expended no small part of their strength. But it is certain that all four of our Gospels were well known throughout the Church by A.D. 175, for lreineus, writing not long after that date, has become so used to thinking of them as four that be regards this number as a self-evident propriety, as there are four quarters of the earth, etc. The first three Gospels are very plainly traceable back through the series of post-New Testament writers to the decade .D. 90-100, and are pronounced by the latest authorities as writ ten between the years (15 and 93. The fourth Gospel is not so plainly traceable. Justin Martyr has an evident citation of a passage from it, and the Teaching has phrases which have the same ring as the Gospel. The period about the year 100 is 'saturated with Johannine thought.' Its contents 'mist have come from the Apostle John in substance at least. though other hands may have had a share in bringing the doeument to its present form, and may have disarranged a little its true order. It is also substantially Apostolic. Equally certain is it that Paul wrote the four 'undisputed' Epistles, 1. and 11. Corin thians, Romans, and Galatians, even if not the others usually attributed to him. NN'e have therefore in this group of writers the Apostolic testimony.
Interrogating that testimony as to miracles, apologetics usually expends its chief efforts in connection with the resurrection of Christ. This is the greatest objective miracle and the most important. If it stands, the rest will stand also. this miracle actual? The Apostolic testi mony, as gained from the Gospels and the four great Pauline Epistles. is plain, unanimous, and clear. it is that Jesus Christ really died, and that He rose from the dead and appeared to the disciples—to enough of them. and on occasions enough, to exclude the possibility of subjective delusion or of insufficient opportunity to know the truth. Furthermore, it is evident that these
Apostles did not expect His reappearance, but were overwhelmed with despair under the influ ence of precisely the thoughts which the Jews exulted in—that death had brought to an end the dream of, a new kingdom to be set up by Jesus as the Christ. And their honesty is made manifest by their unfavorable account of themselves and of their leaders. No explanation which has been proposed to account for the early and triumphant belief that Jesus had risen, though He had not, has gained any considerable credence or been of it. The natural effect of the testi mony of the Apostles must be allowed to have its due course, that Jesus really did rise from the dead. This greatest of all miracles thus estab lished, the credibility of all the rest follows.
If) The argument from the fulfillment of biblical prophecies is also a branch of Christian evidences. Certain critics of the Old Testament have generally referred prophecy to a later date than the prophesied event, and hence made the argument from prophecy difficult. as in the case of the miracles. But it is indisputable, upon any sane criticism of the Old Testament, that the Jewish history as a whole is prophetic, that Israel looked forward to a coining Messiah, that there were sufficient indications in the ancient records of Ilis nature to admit of His recognition and to show the divine plan in Ilis coming. But this is the centre and determinative element of the argument from proplivey.
Consult: For the evidence of experience. Fr:ink, System of Christian Certainty (Edin burgh. 18S61; Stearns, Eriaenec of Christian Experience (New York, 1891) : Foster, Christian Life and Theology (New York, 1901). Butler. ino/ogy (London, 17:16), is one of the principal historic treatises. Pa ley, Eridcnres ( London, 1795), is classic, though in part superseded. lop kins. Eridenees ( Boston, 86•1) marked a new era in the subject. Other works are: Fisher, Grounds of Theislie and Christian Belief (New York. 1SS3), and Manual of Christian Eridenres (New York, 1sSS ; Bruce, ,1 pologetirs (London, Several series of apologetic lectures of high value have been delivered by Luthardt of Leipzig.