A Christian dictionarie Opening the signification of the chiefe words dispersed generally through Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, tending to increase Christian knowledge. Whereunto is annexed, a perticular dictionary for the Reuelation of S. Iohn. For the Canticles or Song of Salomon. For the Epistle to the Hebrues. By Tho: Wilson minister of the Word, at Saint Georges in Canterbury.

CVrteous Reader, thou art much bound to blesse God, for the great plenty and aboundance of excellent Bookes, which by the handes of his painefull and godly Seruants he hath afforded thee, as helps and furtherances to bring thee to the sound knowledge, and right vnderstanding of his sacred word: But among them all, in my iudgement, there is no one in our Natiue tongue, that dooth more oblige thee to true thankfulnesse, then the Booke thou now beholdest, in re∣gard of the great necessity and manifolde vse of the same; as also the exceeding rich profit and benefite, which (by Gods blessing, if thou make the right vse of it) thou mayst reap thereby. For beside the multiplicity and great variety of wholesome matter, which thou shalt finde scattered through the whole worke, heere thou hast most of the dark words and phrases contained in the Scripture, in Alphabe∣ticall order; plainely, breefely, (yet fully) and soundly vn∣folded; and in most places, the corrupt glosses of the Pa∣pists vpon them, compendiously discouered and confuted. Heere thou maist at one view, see the diuers acceptations and significations of words, with the figures and Tropes denoted, in which the Scripture vseth them. By this Book, thou shalt be made able to distinguish of words, which in Scripture are ambiguous, to explaine wordes and phrases obscure, and easily to vnderstand such as bee hard and vn∣knowne. By this Booke, if thou be a Minister, thou shalt become Bonus Textuarius (for what is that but to bee able to giue the true meaning and gemine sense of the Scrip∣ture?) and bonus Textuarius est bonus Theologus. This Booke will make thee a more profitable teacher; for qui bene distinguit, bene decet. By this Booke (whosoeuer thou be) thou shalt be fortified to shield thy selfe (and haply o∣thers too) from errour, as also to see when others do erre, and to draw them out of errour; for errour springes from ignorance; that is, from misvnderstanding the Scripture. Math. 22, 29. By this thou shalt bee made skilfull, to dis∣cerne

the voyce of thy Shepheard Christ Iesus, from the voyce of a stranger. Iohn 10, 3, 5. In a word, by this book in short space, and with no great labour, thou mayst plen∣tifully abound in all heauenly wisedome and knowledge. So that, as one saith of Cicero; Sciat se multum profecisse, cui Cicero vnice placet; In like manner, it may more truelie be affirmed of this Booke; whosoeuer he bee that deligh∣teth much in it, shall thereby gaine infinite benefit. The Authour hath beene pleased to entitle this Booke A Chri∣stian Dictionary, and so it is; for it interprets wordes. But it may also be worthily called; The Key of the Treasures hid in holy Scripture; the enemy of Ignorance; The high and rea∣dy path to Knowledge; The Discloser of Gods holy secrets; A light for Ministers, whereat they may borrow light; A Lan∣thorne for the people, to direct them in the Light: And to bee short, the way to make all the Lords people to prophesie, as Moses wished. Then Gentle Reader, be not without it, let it be continnally by thee, yet buy it not for Nouelty, because it is the first of this kinde that euer saw the light; but for the vnualuable worth of it. Sit tibi charus, non quia rarus, sed amatus quod amabilis; 1. amari dignus. Seneca saith; Noua, quamuis non magna, miramur. That we make much of new things, though they bee not great. Loe, in this Booke, they both meete together, heere is newnesse, and heere is goodnesse. This worke is new, and it is pre∣cious, how then, should it not much Inamour thee?

Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit vtile dulci.

I. B.