in order to help serious men, who have not the advantage of learning,
'NOTES UPON THE NEW TESTAMENT:.
be called a fair copy of the preface drafted on January 4.
The fair copy, we note, is dated January 6, 1754, and it was written at ' Hot Wells, near Bristol.'
In March, 1914, we contributed an article on ' Mr. Wesley's Notes upon the New Testament' to the Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society, and in it we gave a copy of the original preface.
We can never forget the help we received at that time from Nehemiah Curnock, our old comrade in research.
Among other things he sent us photographs of ten pages of the old note-book.
If a 'companion' is one who - shares his bread with another, then, so far as the bread of knowledge is concerned, we must say that the editor of John
Wesley's Journal was one of the most ' companionable' men we have ever met.
We will now give a copy of the original preface.
THE PREFACE
1. For many years I have had an earnest desire of writing something in order to help serious men, who have not the advantage of learning, more thoroughly to understand the New Testament.
But I have been continually deterred from attempting anything of this kind, by a deep sense of my own inability.
Of my want not only of learning sufficient for such a work, but much more of experience. This has often occasioned my quite laying aside the thought and when by much importunity I have been prevailed upon to resume it, still I determined to delay as long as possible, that (if it should please God) I might finish this work and my life together.
2. But having lately had a loud call from God, to arise and go hence, I am convinced that if I attempt anything of this kind at all, I must delay no longer: and I am the rather induced to do now what little I can, because I can do nothing else: being prevented by my present weakness, from either travelling or preaching.
But blessed be God, I can still think, and read, and write.
O that it may be to His glory !
3. It will be easily discerned, even from what I have said already, that I do not write for men of learning: much less for men of deep experience in the ways and work of God. I desire to sit at their feet, and to learn of them, if haply they may count me worthy of instruction.
But I write for plain, unlettered men, who understand only their mothertongue, and desire to save their souls.
4. In order to assist these, in such measure as I am able, I design first to set down the text itself in the common English translation, which in general is far the best that I have seen either in any ancient or modern language.
Yet I do not say that it is incapable of being brought in some cases nearer to the original.
Neither will I affirm that the Greek copies from which the translation was made are always the most correct.
And therefore I shall take the liberty as occasion may