A Christian Dictionary, Preface 2
A Preface before the Table.
GEntle Reader, in this vast Ocean, and large Forrest of words contained in this Dictionary, I doe find that there be three sorts most materiall; where of I desire that thou sholdst take more especiall notice and knowledge, as being of more worth and waight. The first I call an Ecclesiasticall word, which being translated from common vse of speech, is by the Church appropriated, to signifie holy and diuine things. A word of this kind, though it be not in the Scripture for Letter and Sillables: yet is to be found there for matter and substance; as Trinity, &c. Sacrament, Indifferent, Satisfaction, Merit, &c.
A word of the second rancke, I doe tearme Polemicall; because it pertaines to Controuersie, & hath in it a ground of difference betweene the true Christian, which thinketh, speaketh, and writeth Orthodoxally, and soundly; and others, which louelove and embrace errors, in fauour where of they wrest, and peruert the pure wordes of Scripture: as Iustification, Assurance, of Faith, Hope of Glory, Concupiscence, Antichrist, &c.
A word of the third sort, is called Fundamentall, of which kind, I doe take such wordes to be, as doe containe in them things, which beeing denyed, Religion it selfe is ouerthrowne; euen as an house is ouer-turned, by taking away the foundation or ground-worke whereuppon it stands; as Grace, Fayth, God, Christ, &c. for the descerning of these words from other, I iudge this to be a necessary rule.
A word, containing in it anything, which being denyed,A Rule whereby to iudge a fundamentall word. either God himselfe, any person of the God-head, the decrees of God, his properties, his workes of Creation and prouidence, his word of Law and Gospell: or Christ Iesus the Mediator, his Person, Natures, Offices, benefits, Church, and people be denied; either directly, or by necessary and immediate consequence. Any such word is Fundamentall, for that must needs be the foundation of an House, which being remooued, the house cannot but fall. Of this Nature be the wordes, vponupon deniall whereof, followes the ruine of the whole Fabricke of Religion.
Of these three kindes of words, I hauehave heere drawne a Table after the order of the Alphabet, setting a Starre * before an Ecclesiasticall word, to know it by. I hauehave prefixed this sillable [Con] aboue a Polemical word, and hauehave placed an [F] ouer the head of a fundamentall word: where it happeneth, that any one word is both an Ecclesiasticall, & a word of Controuersie, I hauehave written vponupon the top of it, both a Star, and this sillable [Con.] Also, you shall find this sillable [Con] and an [F] ouer eueryevery word, which is both Polemicall, and a word of Foundation.
Moreouer, whereas I hauehave with the explication of words, sometimes ioyned the definition of the thing expressed by such a word, ye shall finde this sillable [Def.] put vnderunder the foote of such a word. And those words in this Table that doe admit distinctions, they are noted out by this sillable [Dist.] directly put vnderunder the word.
Finally, if in the draught, either of this Table, or of this whole Dictionary, I hauehave failed in any thing (as no doubt but I hauehave, being but a man; and therefore subiect to error, from which no Booke is priuiledged, sauing the book of Bookes,) I do earnestly entreate thee to couer my slips by louelove, eyther amending them, or admonishing mee of them: doing vntounto me, as in the like case thy selfe wouldest bee done vntounto: euer remembring, that it is much easier to dislike, then to doe the like. The former, will cost thee nothing; but the latter (trust me) will cost thee paines, vntounto sweate and wearinesse, if thou wilt but endeuour to doe what I hauehave done before thee.
Farewell.