In the first place, it concludes with some strictures which the venerable Author, in deference to the judgment of his friends, deemed proper to add, respecting the uncandid treatment which he had experienced from a Divine of some note, who differed from him on certain theological questions at that time warmly contested. Although that portion of the Preface may now appear to many somewhat uninteresting, it supplies a striking evidence that no attainments in learning or piety are sufficient to prevent the outrageous assaults of misguided zeal; and affords, at the same time, a happy instance of that amiable meekness and candour with which WITSIUS was disposed to treat the most virulent adversary. The only other particular in which the third Preface deviates from the first, is that it omits a short apology, which had originally been made to the reader, for certain coincidences between this work and the treatise on the Covenants. Those coincidences, however, are few, and scarcely any of them required an apology, with the exception of the Dissertation on Saving Faith, a great part of which is nearly the same as the chapter on that subject in the other work. The fact is, that these two elaborate publications are, on the whole, quite distinct, and that both are necessary to form a complete system of theology. Not to mention various other important discussions peculiar to this Treatise, it contains ample and interesting illustrations of some of the most significant and delightful characters of our blessed Redeemer, and of the several steps of his abasement and exaltation, which the plan of his admirable work on the Covenants did not include. The characteristical excellence, in short, of the treatise on the Creed, and the circumstance which suggested the idea of making it accessible to the English reader, is its singular tendency to enrich the understanding with the knowledge, and to warm the heart with the love of that Saviour, who is❝ altogether lovely," and whose divinity and atonement constitute the grand basis of the Christian hope. Regarding fidelity as the most essential quality of any version, the Translator has attempted to produce an exact transcript in English of the original Latin. If he has ever, in any degree, misrepresented the sense of the Author, he can affirm, with confidence, that this is owing to misconception or inadvertency, not to design. He never lost sight of the principle, that, in translating, his business was not to express his own sentiments, but to state, without the slightest modification, the sentiments of another-of one, however, with whom he had the happiness, in almost every case, to agree. Yet, as tame servility is not essential but rather hostile to fidelity, he has freely made use of those necessary and reasonable liberties to which all Translators are entitled. He has endeavoured to supply the reader with an English book, perspicuously written, and composed in accordance with the genius and principles of the English tongue. In spite of his vigilance, however, a critical eye, he doubts not, will be able to detect a variety of instances in which the Latin idiom is inadvertently retained, as well as other deviations from purity of stile. There was, originally, no intention of subjoining Notes to this Translation. But the work was not far advanced when it appeared that a few Explanatory remarks would be necessary, in order to elucidate some arguments and expressions which to many readers might seem difficult and obscure. It was natural, in consequence, to proceed a step further, and to hazard some Critical observations on various passages which either obviously required, or easily admitted of them. In many instances the writer has cheerfully availed himself of the lights furnished by esteemed Authors, his obligations to whom are uniformly acknowledged ; and, to prevent the Notes from extending to an undesirable length, he has frequently referred, on subjects of moment, to Crities and Divines who treat them fully. Such references, he presumes, may perhaps be acceptable to pious and intelligent youths, who delight in biblical and theological researches. It has been his earnest wish, not only to direct the attention of such Students and Ministers of the Gospel as may have hitherto neglected them, to these instructive Dissertations of WITSIUS, but also to render them intelligible and useful to those classes of Christians, who have no pretensions to literature. For their sake he has inserted a number of Notes, which would otherwise have been unnecessary; and principally for their accommodation, too, an Index is appended of nearly all the Authors, ancient and modern, quoted in the course of the work, containing short notices of the character and history of most of them. The useful Indexes subjoined to the original are also preserved. A few immaterial alterations, it may be right to mention, have been made in the form of the work. The numerous references to the Book, Chapter and Verse, in which the quotations from Scripture are to be found, are removed from the text to the bottom of the page. A few sentences, also, in different parts of the book, consisting chiefly of verbal criticisms, which the English reader might not well understand, are transferred to the bottom. When short Notes are added in the course of the work, instead of being subjoined at the end of the Volumes, they are carefully distinguished from those transposed sentences which occur in the original.* A MEMOIR of WITSIUS is prefixed, the materials of which are collected principally from the Oration delivered on occasion of his funeral by the celebrated Dr JOHN MARCK. It necessarily coincides, in a great measure, with “the Life of WITSIUS" prefixed to the Translation of the Economy of the Covenants, and with the account of him which appears in the fourth Volume of Middleton's "Evangelical Biography:". the substance of both of which is avowedly extracted from the same original and authentic source. That this attempt to render more extensively useful a highly valuable Work, may, by the blessing of God, be rendered, in some degree, conducive to the glory of the Saviour, and to the best interests of men, is the prayer of THE TRANSLATOR. The distinctive mark of the Translator's observations in the places referred to, is the subscription of the letter T. RECOMMENDATIONS. "WE have perused part of Mr FRASER'S Translation of WITSIUS's excellent and instructive Work on the CREED, and compared it in various places with the Original; and we do not hesitate to pronounce it a good Translation. It is faithful, not more free than the genius of the two languages requires, and conveys in good English not only the sense of the Author, but a considerable portion of his spirit and manner. WITSIUS is known to the mere English reader, only by a very indifferent translation of his Economy of the Covenants, and by his Irenical Animadversions translated a few years ago by the late Mr Bell of Glasgow. His Treatise on the Apostles' Creed is not inferior to either of these; and we feel much satisfaction in the prospect that a work which has so long benefited the student and divine, and which is so well calculated to give instruction and delight to every class of Christians, is now about to be given to our countrymen in their own tongue. JAMES PEDDIE, D.D. DAVID DICKSON." EDINBURGH, January 1st, 1822. |