J TrE discussion contained in the following pages is a part u of a much larger volume originally published in Philadel-F phia in the year 1817, with the title:
“A Historical Sketch of Opinions on the Atonement, P interspersed with Biographical Notices of the leading Doctors, and Outlines of the Sections of the Church, from the Incarnation of Christ unto the present Time: with Transla- tions from Francis Turrettin on the Atonement. By James R. WiLsox, A.M.”
The volume was dedicated to the Rev. Dr. Alexander McLeod. Its nature is well described in the title. The author traced the varying progress and development of opinion on the atonement, from the beginning of the era down to his own immediate contemporaries. While serupulously careful to represent all with impartiality, he made no pretence of “dealing gently with errorists.” On the contrary, he aimed to speak out with boldness and candour,” and at times even with “severity.” His work, extending over so large a field, could of course be nothing more than a comprehensive outline or summary of its subject. After subserving a useful purpose in the conflicts of the former part of this century, it seems to have fallen into comparative oblivion, and has been for many years out of print.
The latter portion of the volume, being the translation which is lere reproduced, contained the matter, which is found under Quastiones X.~XIV., in Locus Decimus Quartus (De Officio Christi Mcdiatorio) of the Insriturio TrEoLoGLE Erexcrice of Ifrancis Turrettin, with the insertion in one instance of a short extract from another portion of the same work. This part of Dr. Willson’s work is apparently as much called for now as it was originally. The various iv PREFACE. ee ————ee eee questions relating to the atonement are still discussed with frequency and earnestness. The constant faith of the Church on the subject continues to be firmly held by the general body of the Reformed; but it is exposed to incessant attacks in every generation, generally from without, but sometimes from within, the pale of orthodox communions. And while contemporary authorship has furnished some admirable presentations of the common faith on this important point, it is doubted whether any other work of the same compass presents so clearly and forcibly the truth of God as to the Nature, Truth, Perfection, Matter, and Ixtent of the Satis faction made by the blessed Saviour. The lucid arrangement of topics, compact argumentation, fairness of state- ment, and constant appeal to the law and the testimony, leave the careful reader little to desire.
The translation as issued by Dr. Willson was in the main faithful and accurate. In some cases, however, the learned divine, by an oversight, failed to express the cxaet sense of his author; while in many more the carelessness of the proofreader did him great injustice. Pains have been taken to collate the version line by line with the original, so as to amend any inaccuracies. Nothing is claimed on the score of rhetorical finish or the niecties of verbal expression, but the work as now published is believed to present in simple and perspieuous English the exact line of thought and argument presented by the great Genevan professor. It only remains to be added, that while the Board of Publication approves of the work as a whole, it is not to be considered responsible for every shade of opinion on minute points, or every interpretation of quoted Scripture.
At the editor’s special request, a pleasing biographical sketch of Dr. Willson has been furnished by a member of his family. That of Turrettin is a condensation of an article in the twentieth volume of the Princeton Review.”
eve eareern-seeoecss IX BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF TURRETTIN. «ve veuetennressnnsnonnoes 1