JOHN BARCLAY, A. M. LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL IN EDINBURGH. TO WHICH ARE ADDED AN ACCOUNT OF MR BARCLAY'S LIFE; AND Notes on the Paraphrases, BY A COMMITTEE FROM THE BEREAN CONGREGATION EDINBURGH: PRINTED FOR THE COMMITTEE BY JAMES GALL, in Edinburgh, by Mr D. KING, 17 Waterloo Place; at Glasgow, by Mr JOHN ADVERTISEMENT. A NEW Edition of the following Dissertation upon the Book of Psalms, with Illustrations upon each, by Mr BARCLAY, having long been desired by his Friends, a Committee from the Berean Congregation in Edinburgh, was appointed to carry the measure into effect. In doing this, it was considered expedient to substitute, in place of the Paraphrase to which the Illustrations were formerly prefixed, the common version of the Psalms, as being better adapted to public and family worship. The Committee were therefore instructed to see this done,to add such Explanatory Notes as this alteration might require, -to put the whole to press,—and to oversee the printing. These instructions the Committee have endeavoured to carry into effect; and, in addition, they have, from their own personal knowledge of the worthy Author-from the recollection of several of their friends-and from other sources-drawn up and prefixed a short but accurate Memoir of Mr Barclay's Life; which they know will be considered a boon of no ordinary value by those who have similar views of divine truth, and who have long cherished with respect the memory of the Author. AN ACCOUNT OF MR BARCLAY's LIFE. ON the appearance of this edition of Mr BARCLAY'S Dissertation, accompanied with his Illustrations, prefixed to the common version of the Psalms, the Committee of the Berean Church* have little to offer for an apology; knowing well, that in this form the book will be more extensively useful than if it had been accompanied with his original version. The individuals to whom this book will be most interesting, will naturally wish to know something of the man to whom they have been indebted for any information they may receive from the following work, or from any other of his publications. • The reason of taking the title of "Berean Church," may require explanation.Mr Barclay always made an Appeal to the Divine Testimony for the truths of what he declared, and earnestly exhorted his hearers to search the Scriptures, like the BEREANS of old, whether these things were so.---It was for those reasons that they became distinguished by this name. |