A Christian Dictionary, Preface 1
The Generall Preface, To the Christian Reader.
THe end of Teaching, is to cause others to learn; & to learne, is to know things to be, what they are. Now of things to be knowne, words are notes or markes, leading the minde to the comprehension of the thinges. It cannot bee then, but a great hinderance to the vnderstanding of things; when words, which betoken and signify things, are not vnderstanded; and a great furtheraunce, when they be vnderstood. Wherefore, as it is necessary in Grammar Schooles, that Children which learne French, Latine, or Greeke, hauehave their Dictionaries and Lexicons allowed them, to enterpret such harde and strange wordes, by knowledge whereof, things to bee learned, become more easie; and their labours, which hauehave composed such Bookes, are much to be commended. So I hauehave wondered, that of so many, woorthy, learned, and Godly Diuines, which are as willing for their louelove to the good of the Church, as able for their sufficiency of gifts; not one, no not one (that I knowe) hauehave euer attempted to prouide our Christian Scholler such a Christian Dictionary of wordes, as containe the secrets of our Heauenly profession and Art. Many hauehave framed and set forth Primers, and A. B. Cs. for beginners; I meane Catechismes, to enter them into the knowledge of God: but not any (as yet) hauehave set too their hands, to enterpret in our Mother tongue (in Alphabet order) the cheefe words of our Science, which being very hard and darkesome, sound in the eares of our weake Schollers, as Latine or Greeke words, as indeede, many of them are deriued from these Languages; and this I hauehave esteemed, as no smal let to hinder the profiting in knowledge of holy Scriptures amongst the vulgar; because, when in their reading or hearing Scriptures, they meet with such principall words, as carry with them the Marrowe and pith of our holy Religion; they sticke at them, as at an vnknowne language. Mathias Flaccius Illyricus (whom I did not looke vponupon, nor vppon Enchiridion Marlorati, vntill I had well nie done this worke) hath worthily performed this in Latine, by whose helpe, it is easie for a Diuine to do some such worke in English: I, the vnmeetest and vnwoorthiest of all my Bretheren, not one of a thousand, but the meanest of ten thousand; hauehave attempted this enterprise, and performed a poore some-thing, sufficient onelyonly, to giuegive the more learned an occasion to do some more exact thing in this kinde. Therefore, for their better encouragement thus to doo, (besides the breach of the Ice vntounto them) I hauehave breefely set downe before them, the great and manifold profits that would arise out of such a worke, being substantially done. First of all, thy selfe, being a Minister of the word, it wil bring thee this fruite, that thou shalt teach with more facility, hauing readie and at hand, the true and right definition of things. Secondly, the distinguishing of wordes of diuers acceptions, lying alwayes by thee, will ease thee of some labour in searching, when thou art enforced by occasion of the Text, to enterpret such words. Thirdly, the people committed to thy charge, being by meanes of such a Booke, well acquainted with the cheefe Wordes, which containe any Doctrine, thou shalt not neede in the course of thy teaching, to bee alwayes troubled with the opening of such wordes; but presuming vppon their knowledge, maiest the more insist and dwell in the pressing and vrging the Doctrine and practise of the thinges so well vnderstood before. Now, as touching the hearers, their growth and proceeding in Christianitie, will be greater and more speedy, by the help of such a Dictionary; which hauing giuen light vntounto them, to know the principall wordes of their Art, the matter of Doctrine contained in these words, and raised out of them, wil be sooner perceiued, and take better impression. Againe, the right distinguishing of thinges, the one from the other, when the Nature and due bounds of eueryevery worde is declared, would proue some preseruatiue against errors and Heresie, which commonly arise vponupon the ignorance of things, while they are shuffled confusedly togither, one thing being taken for another; or some thing being taken to bee that, it is not. I could shew this in sundry particulers, one instead of all: Iustification; this word, not rightly vnderstood, what errors hath it bred? whilst some take it, to bee the making of our selues iust, infusion of grace in the hearts of the elect. Others, to be nothing else, but a making of our actions to become iust and holy; whereas, it is an absolution of a Sinner from his guiltinesse, and pronouncing him righteous by God, when he beleeues in his sonne Christ Iesus. Lastly, it will prouoke Christians more willingly to reade Scriptures, when they hauehave at hand a Dictionary, to declare and expound such words as they vnderstand not. For, as men aduenture to cracke that Nut, whose Kernell by cracking is to be obtained; so the Christian is much moued to read, when hee hath, as it were, a cracker to get him the Kernell; that is, a Dictionarie to giuegive him the sence of the words, which he reads. To conclude, it may preuent scruples, which may arise in some Conscience, through ignorance of words, and their true and fit meanings.
Now, a few Aduertisements will be requisite to bee added about this my simple endeuour. First, my care was to put in no words, but such as were material, & of some moment and vse. Secondly, if either I hauehave left out some materiall wordes, or not giuen all the significations of those whereof I hauehave made choise, or giuen more then they hauehave, or not set downe the significations for order, so precisely as would be; let these faults (if any such be) be pardoned by thee, till they be supplied by some more sufficient: for whom (as I hauehave saide) I doo heerein but breake the Ice. Yet heereof, I woulde hauehave them take knowledge, that such significations as I giuegive, I find them in the word: but if any worde hauehave other, or more, it is more then I finde. Thirdly, I would hauehave none to think, that my meaning were to giuegive an exact definition of euerie thing (let him be thought verie wise and happie, that can do this) but some true and familiar explication or description of words, to make things that be obscure to become somwhat plainer to the ignorant. Fourthly, these explications which I do giuegive, may differ in tearmes from such explications, as yee shall finde in other mens Writings of the same wordes. But I verily trust, that you shall finde for the most part, an agreement in substaunce of truth. Moreouer, in citing Scriptures, I hauehave sometime noted such places, wherein the words which I doo interpret, is onelyonly named; Sometime, the place where the Interpretation is found, with the word; and some places which only hauehave the Interpretation, & not the word. I cite few places, because the light giuen to a worde in one place, will clear other places where that word is vsed in that same sence, which the aduised Reader shall discerne by the circumstance of the place. Besides, I hauehave put some Ecclesiasticall wordes, which be not found in Scripture, in so many Sillables, yet are there for the matter, as Trinity and Sacrament, &c. Againe, sometime ye shall finde the word, and sometime the thing, and sometime both opened. Finally, my request is, that no Minister do by this Booke hinder his owne searching, it being intended to be a meane rather to whe… his diligence to search more narrowly: nor any hearer vse it to contention, but to edification; not for matter of ydle dispute, but for needfull direction. And if I be longer in the explanation of some words, then the Nature of a Dictionary wil beare, or do open some wordes, which (to some) may seeme needlesse; impute it eyther vntounto the waightinesse of the things, which being darke and important, neede opening; or vntounto the dulnesse of common Capacities, which see little in diuine matters; or if ye will, to want of dexterity in my selfe, who hauehave beene but of late acquainted with this Trade. Thus entreating thee (courteous Reader) to hauehave consideration of my weakenesse, and of the newnesse and strangenesse of the worke, fauourably to pardon wants (which in such a forrest of words and things, cannot but be many) I commend thee vntounto the mercifull goodnesse and protection of the Almighty.
Thine to do thee good, Tho: Wilson.