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A

THEOLOGICAL DICTIONARY,

CONTAINING

DEFINITIONS OF ALL RELIGIOUS AND
ECCLESIASTICAL TERMS;

A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF

EVERY ARTICLE IN THE SYSTEM OF DIVINITY;

AN IMPARTIAL ACCOUNT OF ALL THE

PRINCIPAL DENOMINATIONS

WHICH HAVE SUBSISTED IN THE RELIGIOUS

WORLD FROM THE

BIRTH OF CHRIST TO THE PRESENT DAY:

TOGETHER WITA

AN ACCURATE STATEMENT OF THE MOST REMARKABLE TRANSACTIONS AND
EVENTS RECORDED IN ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, AND A BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCH OF SUCH WRITERS AS HAVE EXERTED A DECIDED
INFLUENCE IN THE FIELD OF THEOLOGICAL

SCIENCE.

BY THE LATE REV. CHARLES BUCK.

A NEW AND GREATLY enlarged EDITION;

BY THE REV. DR. HENDERSON,

THEOLOGICAL TUTOR OF HIGHBURY COLLEGE.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR JAMES DUNCAN; T. T. & J. TEGG;

AND SIMPKIN & MARSHALL.

MDCCCXXXIII.

LONDON:

Printed by WILLIAM CLOWES,

Stamford Street.

LENOX LIBRAR

NEW YORK

PREFACE.

THE Work, a new edition of which is here presented to the public, formed quite a desideratum at the time of its original publication. There had, indeed, long existed dictionaries, having for their object the explanation of the various terms, doctrines, ordinances, customs, &c. which are found in the sacred oracles, and their character was more or less in accordance with this very important and laudable object. They were exclusively Biblical. But the multifarious names, phrases, opinions, sects, parties, heresies, &c., which have been introduced since the close of the sacred canon, and which properly appertain to the department of Theological History, were either left uncollected, or, at least, existed in such forms, and were exhibited on such a plan, as were little, if at all calculated to facilitate the acquisition, or promote the extension of religious knowledge.

To supply this deficiency, the respected author applied himself with commendable diligence and extensive research; incorporating into his Work whatever he considered to be important in ecclesiastical history, good and accurate in definition, valuable in theological science, interesting in the religious world, and likely to advance the piety, as well as to gratify the curiosity of his readers. That he succeeded in no ordinary degree, may fairly be concluded from the number of impressions through which the dictionary has gone, and the great extent of its circulation. In the United States of America upwards of 50,000 copies have been circulated.

Since the Work first appeared, other publications, constructed on a similar principle, have been, more or less, brought into competition with it; but, instead of displacing it from the position which it has deservedly held in the libraries of the evangelical portion of the community, the demand for copies has been constantly on the increase. With a view to render it still more extensively useful, the Proprietors have resolved to issue a new and improved edition, in which any inaccuracies which might have escaped the author should be corrected, such articles inserted as he had omitted, and the whole, as much as possible, brought down to the present time. In endeavouring to fulfil their wishes, the present Editor has considerably altered several of the original articles, especially such as related to foreign divinity; the circumstances connected with the different religious establishments in Christendom; the history, views, and usages of the different parties that have seceded from these establishments; the literature of theology; and other subjects of a kindred nature. Several that appeared to be of minor importance he has omitted, in order to make room for the insertion of others, of higher and more general interest. The number of additional articles in the present edition amounts to nearly FIVE HUNDRED.

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