Light Shining Out of Darkness. the Fidelity of the Four Evangelists Evinced by Their Apparent Imperfections baixar o livro de graça

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1839 edition. Excerpt: ... but even of great moment, are frequently published by one or more of their number, and entirely omitted by the rest. This method of proceeding must be regarded as very different from that which could be kept in view by several persons, leagued together in a project of imposture. 52. We may next suppose that our authors did riot write in concert, but that the last simply availed themselves of the labours of their predecessors. In this case, they must either wish to disparage, or to confirm these accounts, for they could hardly be supposed to view them with indifference. Directly to disparage them would be dangerous, especially if they were known and received as the writings of Christ's disciples. Such an attempt might bring discredit or suspicion upon both histories. If however it were made, the objector, conscious that he was standing upon delicate ground, would take care that his charges were well considered, and clearly made out, and that his own statements upon the subject, were full and satisfactory; otherwise the stroke would but recoil upon his own head. At the same time we might expect him to discover a spirit of vigilant jealousy towards his competitors for the public favour. I would now demand whether this is a fair representation of any one of our Saviour's histories. Notwithstanding their many points of resemblance, we shall find there is not one which contains any direct allusion to the rest. Several instances of discrepancy have been already pointed out, but in none of those cases do we find any endeavour, in one Evangelist, to establish his own views, or to undermine those of his precursors; any marks of a censorious or jealous feeling, of even a sensitiveness upon any point which might seem a subject of disputation; or any pains...