Search -
Notes on the Parables of the New Testament
Notes on the Parables of the New Testament Author:Hosea Ballou 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: AN '' EPISTLE TO THE READER. Christian' Reader, TO mention all the motives which induced me to publifii the following Notes, would extend this epiitle b... more »eyond its prop:r limits; yet, it may be fans Lie lory to note fome of the mft important. It has appeared to Hie for fome time, that fomething of this nature w is as much needed, among chrifttao people, as any thing tint could be offered from the fcriptures ; anJ that on account of the very different manner in which public teachers hive treated the Parables of the new tiftsuacnt, and the difagreeable confequcnces arifing theiefrom. Perhaps, it may be faid, without encroaching on the feelings of the reader, that moft of the ideas imbibed by people in generain dmaity, are received from the pulpit. Aud while one congregation is attending to explanations of the Parables in one way, another is entertained with different ideas on the fame paiLges. When thofp ideas ate received, they form qaite a difference in th; opinions of chriuians ; this diffimilarity of fentiment engenders twice as much iif- affiftion in the heart, where nothing coimsry to charity eught to be found ; this difafl'eclion is 1,1;.: a hoi beJ to the feeds of contention, and roots of bitteincfs. And although I do not cxpetf fo favorable a cnnf--qu?nce to refult from my little Pamphlet, as a general agreement a- roong chriftians, In reipecl to the P.irables ; yet, I entemin an humble hope, that it may make, at Itv.ft, Aa approxii.va- tion towards fo favorable an o!j-ft ; perhaps by inJi-i-i'ii? fome more able wiiter, v?ho poirfT;ii raore leifure for ti'. ' ing, to favor the public with a treatife on fo worthy a i,it j---' In m7 travels through the country in difcharge of duties enjoined by the miniftry of the Saviour of Tinners, I have met with more o...« less