The Works of the Reverend Thomas Townson

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: .relate new and distinct facts and discourses of their Lord; so that, although there had been no disagreement, there would have been little identity, in the several histories. But now, whether the Evangelists did or did not see each others' works, so the fact is, that the three first Gospels are, in great...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: .relate new and distinct facts and discourses of their Lord; so that, although there had been no disagreement, there would have been little identity, in the several histories. But now, whether the Evangelists did or did not see each others' works, so the fact is, that the three first Gospels are, in great measure, the same; it having seemed good to heavenly wisdom, that we should have a sufficient and indeed an ample number of miracles recorded, in such a manner, that in the mouth of three witnesses every word should be established, rather than that our attention should be distracted by an almost endless variety of facts, each of them related by a single, but credible, historian. Two objects were in the contemplation, hot only of the Evangelists, but generally of all the inspired, writers: to benefit, ultimately, by their writings all future ages; but, primarily and chiefly, to warn and instruct their own generation, the persons to whom they immediately addressed themselves. Circumstances therefore of a local and temporary nature constantly give a colour and character to their works; a point, which, if duly attended to, would have prevented innumerable errors in doctrine, as well as w mistakes in sacred criticism. Let it then be obr V served, that we meet with these distinctive traits, not only in the parts which are historical or monitory, but likewise where certainly we should least of all expect them, in the ten Commandments. We know, on St. Paul's authority, where he particularly notices the promise annexed to the fifth commandment, that this promise, as it regards Christians and mankind in general, denotes simply length of days and prosperity1. But the promise itself in the decalogue, as delivered to the Israelites, was restricted Ephes, vi. 3. to Canaan ', the lot...