ntion. If, instead of being
clear, direct, the undoubted testimony of known eye-witnesses free
from superstition and capable, through adequate knowledge, rightly
to estimate the alleged phenomena, we find that the actual accounts
have none of these qualifications, the final decision with regard to
miracles and the reality of Divine Revelation will be easy and
conclusive." [130:1]

Before commencing the examination of the evidence for the Gospels, I was
careful to state the principles upon which I considered it right to
proceed. I said:

"Before commencing our examination of the evidence as to the date,
authorship, and character of the Gospels, it may be well to make a
few preliminary remarks, and clearly state certain canons of
criticism. We shall make no attempt to establish any theory as to
the date at which any of the Gospels was actually written, but
simply examine all the testimony which is extant, with the view of
ascertaining _what is known of these works and their authors,
certainly and distinctly, as distinguished from what is merely
conjectured or inferred_ ... We propose, therefore, as exhaustively
as possible, to search all the writings of the early Church for
information regarding the Gospels, and to examine even the alleged
indications of their use ... It is still more important that we
should constantly bear in mind that a great number of Gospels
existed in the early Church which are no longer extant, and of most
of which even the names are lost. We need not here do more than
refer, in corroboration of this fact, to the preliminary statement
of the author of the third Gospel: 'Forasmuch as many ([Greek:
polloi]) took in hand to set forth in order a declaration of the
things which have been accomplish among us,' &c. It is, therefore,
evident that before our third synoptic was written many similar
works were already in circulation. Looking at the close similarity
of large portions of the three synoptics, it is almost certain that
many of the writings here mentioned bore a close analogy to each
other and to our Gospels, and this is known to have been the case,
for instance, amongst the various forms of the 'Gospel according to
the Hebrews.' When, therefore, in early writings, we meet with
quotations closely resembling, or, we may add, even identical, with
passages which ar