The evidence of Irenæus--Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians genuine--"The Refutation of all Heresies" by Hippolytus--Justin Martyr--The internal evidence--Philo's philosophy--The doctrine of the triune nature of Jehovah--The Divinity of Christ--The Holy Spirit--The nameless, unknown author--Rénan's views in favour of the Johannine authorship--Linguistic difficulties--William Penn--The raising of Lazarus from the dead--John's memory--The Duke of Wellington--Mode of authorship--Men separated from their writings, and books without authors--The second century non-classical compared with the first--Facts make history, not history facts--The living voice rather than books the instrument for proclaiming the Gospel in the first century--The folly of ignoring Divine Revelation 135 CHAPTER VI. _CONTEMPORARY EVIDENCE._ The Apostle John the author of the Apocalypse--Importance of the admission--The precise date of its composition--Its allegorical character--"Pilgrim's Progress" and "Paradise Lost and Regained"--The doctrines indicated in the Apocalypse--Rome the mystical Babylon-- Nero Cæsar--The number of the beast--The Lord's day--Prominence of the allusion to the Lamb slain to take away sin--Paul's epistles identical in doctrine with the Apocalypse--Professor Owen--Quotation from "The Merchant of Venice" 163 CHAPTER VII. _CONCLUSION._ An eloquent sentence analysed--Henry Rogers--John Stuart Mill-- Priestley--Paul's admonition to Timothy--The death of apostles not recorded in writings alleged to have been written long after their decease--Verdict pronounced before the case is complete--Authority of Church Councils--The religion of the Bible a spiritual matter, requiring spiritual discernment--Summary--Peroration 183 _INTRODUCTION_. "_There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy._" Shakespeare. "_When we consider further that a gift, extremely precious, came to us, which, though facilitated, was not necessitated, by what had gone before, but was due, as far as appearances go, to the peculiar mental and moral endowments of one man, and that man openly proclaimed that it did not come from himself, but from God through him, then we are entitled to say there is nothing so inherently or absolutely incredible in this supposition as to preclude any one from hoping that it may perhaps be true._" John Stuart Mill. INTRODUCTION. Nothing in these days is taken for granted. In science, philosophy, politics, and religion, the foundations of belief are fearlessly examined, and the facilities for the process are unprecedented. Criticism has new and improved instruments, and they are extensively used--often misused. It concerns us especially to know how far our religious institutions are being affected.