Editing Anthony Collins (philosopher) (section)

==''Discourse of the Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion''==
In 1724, Collins published the treatise ''Discourse of the Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion'', with ''An Apology for Free Debate and Liberty of Writing'' prefixed. Ostensibly it is written in opposition to Whiston's attempt to show that the books of the [[Old Testament]] did originally contain prophecies of events in the [[New Testament]] story, but that these had been eliminated or corrupted by the Jews, and to prove that the fulfilment of prophecy by the events of Christ's life is all "secondary, secret, allegorical, and mystical," since the original and literal reference is always to some other fact. Since, further, according to him the fulfilment of prophecy is the only valid proof of Christianity, he thus secretly aims a blow at Christianity as a revelation. The canonicity of the New Testament he ventures openly to deny, on the ground that the canon could be fixed only by men who were inspired.

No less than thirty-five answers were directed against this book; the most noteworthy of which were those of Bishop [[Edward Chandler (bishop)|Edward Chandler]], Arthur Sykes and [[Samuel Clarke]]. To these, but with special reference to the work of Chandler, which maintained that a number of prophecies were literally fulfilled by Christ, Collins replied with his ''Scheme of Literal Prophecy Considered'' (1727). An appendix contends against Whiston that the book of Daniel was forged in the time of [[Antiochus Epiphanes]].