both myself and every reader still further in his debt, and for the honour of his kind appreciation and encouragement; also to David Edwards, John Bowden, and the staff of the SCM Press for their immense patience and helpfulness at every stage. Two things I may perhaps be allowed to say briefly to the reader. First, this work has deservedly attained an international reputation; but one criticism has been voiced which, it seems to me, is based very largely on a misconception. This is the objection