I 



BOOK IX.] CONCLUSIOir. 373 



the gospel shall be preached. And this observation holds in 

 otlier parts of Scripture. 



We find, among theological writings, too many books of 

 controv#rsy ; a vast mass of that we call positive theology, 

 common-places, particular treatises, cases of conscience, ser- 

 mons, homilies, and numerous prolix comments upon the 

 several books of the Scriptures : but the thing we want and 

 propose, as our third appendix to theology, is, a short, sound, 

 and judicious collection ot notes and observations upon par- 

 ticular texts oi Scripture ; Avithout running into common- 

 place, pursuing controversies, or reducing these notes to 

 artificial method ; but leaving them quite loose and native — 

 a thing we find something done in the more learned kind of 

 sermons, which are seldom of long duration, though it has 

 not hitherto prevailed in books designed for posterity. But 

 certainly, as those wines which flow from the first treading 

 of the grape are sweeter and better than those forced out by 

 the press, which gives them the roughness of the husk and 

 the stone; so are those doctrines best and wholesomest, 

 which flow from a gentle crush ot the Scripture, and are not 

 wrung into controversies and common- place. And this trea- 

 tise we set down as wanting, under the title of the first 

 Sowings of the Scriptures. 



And now we have finished our small globe of the intellec- 

 tual world with all the exactness we could, marking out and 

 describing those parts of it which we find either not con- 

 stantly inhabited or not sufiiciently cultivated. And if 

 through the course of the work we should anywhere seem to 

 depart from the opinion of the ancients, we would have it 

 remembered that this is not done for the sake of novelty, or 

 striking into different paths from them, but with a desire of 

 improving; for we could neither act consistently with our- 

 selves nor the design, without resolving to add all we could 

 to the inventions of others, at the same time wishing that 

 our own discoveries may be exceeded by those of posterity 

 And how fairly we have dealt in this matter may appear from 

 hence, that our opinions are everywhere proposed naked and 

 undefended, without endeavouring to bribe the liberty ot 

 others by confutations ; lor where the things advanced prove 

 just, we hope that il any scruple or objection arise in the first 

 reading, an answer will of itself be made in the second. And 



