THE TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. THE design of the following Dissertations is to defend the doctrine of ATONEMENT FOR SIN BY THE DEATH OF CHRIST: -a doctrine which exhibits the only foundation of scriptural hope, has an essential connexion with every other part of the gospel system, and extends its influence to all the duties and privileges of the Christian life. One irrefragable argument in support of this doctrine, arises from the correspondence and typical relation between the priestly office and sacrifices under the Mosaic law, and the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. This argument is here stated and enforced, in a manner at once clear, concise, comprehensive, and, as the Translator conceives, satisfactory. Some Christians consider the sacrifice of Christ as offered particularly and exclusively for those who shall eventually be saved; and others believe, as did DR. OUTRAM,* that it was offered indefinitely and generally on the behalf of mankind. The pious advocates of these different views profess an equal reliance on the Saviour's atonement for pardon of sin, and deduce from it the same obligations to holiness of heart and life; and in the statements and reasonings of this work, for the most part, they will equally coincide. * The Author's name was Ontram, but latinizing it for this work he wrote it Outramus: and this way of spelling, without the termination, has been so generally retained, that the Translator thought it best to conform to it.-Dr. OUTRAM was a native of Derbyshire, and born in the year 1625. He was entered of Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took his degree of B. A. and obtained a fellowship. In 1649 he took his degree of M. A. and in 1660 that of D.D. He was presented to the rectory of St. Mary Woolnoth in London; afterwards, in 1669, he was collated to the archdeaconry of Leicester; and during the following year he was installed prebendary of St. Peter's church in Westminster. In 1677 he published the work, of which the present volume is a translation. He died in 1679. The reason of its being originally written in Latin was, doubtless, because the writings of Socinus and his earlier disciples were almost wholly in that language. The circumstances of the present times have suggested its translation into English. Few books of doctrinal theology have obtained such concurrent testimonies of high approbation from the most competent judges among Christians of various communions; and though the same principles have been ably defended in numerous treatises, this work cannot justly be considered as at all superseded by any other that has yet appeared. The opposition now made to the doctrine here maintained, differs, indeed, from the manner in which it was opposed by the Socinians of the seventeenth century, with whom the author was called to contend. But their successors of the present day differ from them on this subject, principally in wider deviations from the plain and obvious import of the phraseology of the sacred writers, and a more open disregard of scriptural authority. And if the argument of these Dissertations has any force against the disciples of Socinus and Crellius, it must possess still greater validity against the followers of Priestley and Lindsey.-The point at issue is infinitely important. If ATONEMENT FOR SIN BY THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST be not a fundamental doctrine of Christianity, it may be justly affirmed,— that the language of the scriptures leads to gross and mischievous error;-that the Jewish ritual was a mass of unmeaning ceremonies ;-and that there is no harmony between the law and the gospel, the prophets and the apostles, the Old Testament and the New: - conclusions never to be admitted by minds that reverence the scriptures, or Him who inspired them. The object aimed at in the translation has been a faithful exhibition of the sentiments of the Author. In a few instances of verboseness, a fault more rare in DR. |