Concise Church History of the Old and New Testaments

Remembrance to the Reader.

In the future, many will encounter these and other histories who might wish to provide a more detailed report on various points. He The author, Gottfried Arnold, refers to himself in the third person here. will also likely not excuse himself at all, nor resist for long through much disputation; rather, he will grasp with both hands whatever is suggested from honest intentions and based on truth, without mockery or a desire for blame. For in such a case, he commits himself only to accepting the reminders of others. To other bickering original: "gezäncke", he will contribute nothing, as before, and will not increase the number of polemical writings polemical writings: "Streit-Schrifften," refers to pamphlets or books written specifically for theological debate or controversy. by even a single page. There are, in any case, already other means to defend the truth.

To anyone else who perhaps does not like the reports on the origin of certain church customs original: "kirchen-gebräuche" or other stories, his opinion remains unoffended. Especially since brevity has forbidden presenting more reasons. For this brevity was so strongly recommended to the author original: "autori" that he could neither include any citations from authors original: "locum der autorum," referring to specific passages or source citations nor carry out the final chapters of the last two centuries original: "seculis" exactly as desired. Therefore, he has had to postpone everything for another occasion, as these and other such things are well in need of further investigation.