¶ W. T. vnto the Reader.

Here thou hast (moost deare reader) the new Testam&ebar;t or covenaunt made wyth vs of God in Christes bloude. Which I have looked over agayne (now at the last) with all dylygence / and compared it vnto the Greke / and have weded oute of it many fautes / which lacke of helpe at the begynninge and oversyght / dyd sowe therin. If ought seme chaunged / or not all to gether agreynge with the Greke / let the fynder of þe; faute consider the Hebrue Phrase or maner of speche lefte in the Greke wordes. Whose preterperfectence and presenttence is ofte both one / and the futuretence is the optative mode also / and the futuretence is ofte the imperatyve mode in the actyve voyce / and in the passyve ever. Lykewyse person for person / nombre for nombre / and an interrogation for a c&obar;dicionall / and soche lyke is with the Hebrues a comen usage.

I have also in manye places set lyght in the mergent / to vnderstonde the text by. If anye man fynde fautes ether with the tr&abar;slacion or ought besyde (which is easyer for manye to do / then so well to have translated it them selves of their awne pregnant wyttes / at the begynnynge wtthoute forensample) to the same it shalbe lawfull to tr&abar;slate it them selves and to put what they lust therto. If I

shall perceave ether by my selfe or by the informacion of other / that ought be escaped me / or myght be more playnlye translated / I will shortlye after / cause it to be mended. Howbe it in manye places / me thynketh it better to put a declaracyon in the margent / then to runne to farre from the text. And in manye places / where the text semeth at the fyrst choppe harde to be vnderstonde / yet þe; circ&ubar;st&abar;ces before and after / and oft&ebar; readinge together / maketh it playne ynough. ∧ ce.

Moreover / because the kyngedome of heaven / which is the scripture ∧ worde of God / maye be so locked vp / that he which readeth or heareth it / cannot vnderstonde it: as Christ testifieth how that the Scribes and Pharises had so shut it vp. Mat. xxiii. and had taken awaye the keye of knowledge. Luke. xi. that their Iewes which thought them selves with in / were yet so locked out / and are to this daye that they can vnderstonde no sentence of the scripture vnto their salvacion / though they can reherse the textes every where ∧ dispute therof as sottelye as þe; popyshe doctoures of dunces darcke learninge / which with their sophistrye / sarved vs / as þe; Pharises dyd the Iewes. Therfore (that I myght be founde faythfull to my father ∧ lorde in distributinge vnto my brethr&ebar; ∧ felowes of one fayth / their due ∧ necessarye fode: so dressinge it ∧ ceasoninge it / that the weake stomackes maye receave it also / aud be þe; better for it) I thought it my dutye (most deare reader) to warne the

before / ∧ to shew the the right waye in / ∧ to geve the þe; true keye to op&ebar; it with all / ∧ to arme the agaynst false Prophetes ∧ malicious ypocrytes / whose perpetuall stodye is to leven the scripture with gloses / and there to locke it vp where it shuld save thy soule / and to make vs shote at a wronge marke / to put oure trust in those thinges that proffit their belyes onlye and slee oure soules. ∧.

The ryght waye: ye ∧ the onlye waye to vnderstonde the scripture vnto oure salvacion / is / that we ernestlye ∧ aboue all thinge / serche for the profession of oure baptyme or covena&ubar;tes ^note made betwene God ∧ vs. As for an ensample: Christ sayth Mat. v. Happie are the mercifull / for they shall obtayne mercie. Loo / Here God hath made a covena&ubar;t with vs / to be mercifull vnto vs / yf we wil be mercifull one to another: so that the man which sheweth mercie vnto his neyboure / maye be bolde to trust in God for mercie at all nedes. And contrarye wyse / iudgem&ebar;t without mercie / shalbe to him that sheweth not mercye. Iaco. ii. So now / yf he þt; sheweth no mercie / trust in God for mercie / his fayth is carnall ∧ worldlye / ∧ but vayne presumpci&obar;. For God hath promysed mercie onlye to þe; mercifull. And therfore the mercilesse have no Godes worde þt; they shall have mercie: but contrarye wyse / þt; they shall have iudgem&ebar;t without mercie. And Mat. vi. If ye shall forgeve men their fautes / youre hev&ebar;ly father shall forgeve you: but ∧ yf ye shall not forgeve m&ebar; their fautes / no more shall youre

father forgeve you youre fautes. Here also by þe; vertue ∧ str&ebar;ght of this covena&ubar;t wher with God of his mercie hath bo&ubar;de him selfe to vs vnworthie / maye he þt; forgeveth his neyboure / be bolde when he returneth ∧ am&ebar;deth to beleve ∧ trust in god for remission of what soever he hath done amysse. And c&obar;trarye wyse / he that will not forgeve / cannot but dispeare of forgevenes in the ende / and feare iudgement without mercie.

The generall covena&ubar;t wherin all other are c&obar;prehended ∧ included / is this. If we meke oure selves to god / to kepe all his lawes / after the ensample of Christ: then God hath bounde him selfe vnto vs to kepe and make good all the mercies promysed in Christ / thorow out all the scripture.

All the whole lawe which was gev&ebar; to vtter oure corrupt nature / ^note is c&obar;prehended in the ten commaundement&es;. And þe; ten commaundementes are comprehended in these two: love God and thy neyboure. And he that loveth his neyboure in God and Christ / fulfilleth these two / ∧ consequentlye the ten / ∧ finally all the other. Now if we love oure neyboures in God ∧ Christ: that is to wete / if we be lovinge / kynde ∧ mercifull to them / because God hath created them vnto his lyknes / ∧ Christ hath redemed them ∧ bought them &wt; his bloude / then maye we be bolde to trust in God thorow Christ ∧ his deservinge / for all mercie. For God hath promysed and bounde him selfe to vs: to shew vs all mercie / ∧ to be a

father almighty to vs / so that we shall not nede to feare the power of all oure adversaryes.

Now yf anye man that submitteth not him selfe to kepe the c&obar;maundem&ebar;tes / do thinke þt; he hath anye fayth in God: the same m&abar;nes fayth is vayne / worldlye / damnable / develishe ∧ playne presumpcion / as it is above sayde / ∧ is no fayth that can iustifie or be accepted before God. And that is it that Iames meaneth in his Pistle. For how can a man beleve sayth Paul) without a preacher. Ro. x. Now reade all the scripture and se where God sent anye to preache mercye to anye / save vnto th&ebar; onlye that rep&ebar;t ∧ turne to god with all their hartes / to kepe his commaundementes. Vnto the disobedient that will not turne / is threatened wrath / vengeaunce and damnacion / accordinge to all the terrible curses and fearfull ensamples of the Byble.

Fayth now in God the Father thorow oure Lorde Iesus Christ / accordinge to þe; covena&ubar;tes ∧ apoyntem&ebar;t made betwene God ∧ vs / is oure salvaci&obar; Wherfore I have ever noted þe; covena&ubar;tes in þe; merg&ebar;tes / ∧ also þe; promises. Moreover where thou findest a promyse ∧ no covenaunt expressed therewith / there must thou vnderstonde a covena&ubar;t. For all the promyses of þt; mercie ∧ grace þt; Christ hath purchased for vs / are made vpon þt; condicion þt; we kepe þe; lawe. As for an ensample: wh&ebar; the scripture sayth. Mat. vii. Axe ∧ it shalbe geven you: seke ∧ ye shall fynde: knocke ∧ it shalbe opened vnto you. It is to be vnderstonde / if

that wh&ebar; thy neyboure axeth / seketh or knocketh to þe; / thou then shew him the same mercie which thou desyrest of god / then hath god bo&ubar;de him selfe to helpe þe; agayne / ∧ else not.

Also ye se that two thing&es; are requyred to begin a Christen man. The fyrst is a stedfast fayth ∧ trust in almightie God / to obtayne all the mercie that he hath promysed us / thorow the deservinge ∧ merites of Christes bloude onlye / withoute all respect to oure awne workes. And the other is / that we forsake evell ∧ turne to God / to kepe his lawes ∧ to fyght agaynst oure selves and oure corrupte nature perpetuallye / that we maye do the will of god every daye better and better.

This have I sayde (most deare reader) to warne the / least thou shuldest be deceaved / ∧ shuldest not onlye reade the scriptures in vayne ∧ to no proffit / but also vnto thy greater d&abar;nacion. ^noteFor the nature of Gods worde is / þt; whosoever reade it or heare it reasoned ∧ disputed before him / it will begynne ymmediatlye to make him every daye better ∧ better / till he be grow&ebar; into a perfect m&abar; in the knowledge of Christ and love of the lawe of God: or alse make him worse ∧ worse / till he be hardened that he openly resist the sprite of God / ∧ then blaspheme / after the ensample of Pharao / Cora / Abiron / Balam / Iudas / Symon Magus and soche other.

This to be even so / the wordes of Christ Ioh. iii. do well confyrme. This is condempnaci&obar; (sayth he) the lyght is come into þe; worlde

/ but þe; men loved darcknes more then light for their dedes were evell. Beholde / when the light of Godes worde cometh to a m&abar; / whether he reade it or here it preached ∧ testified / ∧ he yet have no love thereto / to fassion his lyfe therafter / but c&obar;s&ebar;teth still vnto his olde dedes of ignora&ubar;ce: then beginneth his iust d&abar;nacion ymmediatlye / ∧ he is henceforth without excuse: in that he refused mercie offered him. For God offereth him mercie vpon the condyci&obar; that he will mende his livinge: but he will not come vnder the covena&ubar;t. And fr&obar; that houre forwarde he waxeth worsse ∧ worsse / God takinge his sprite of mercye and grace from him for his vnthankfulnes sake.

And Paul wryteth. Ro. i. that the heth&ebar; because when they knew god / they had no lust to honoure him with godly lyvinge / therfore god powred his wrath vpon them ∧ toke his spirite fr&obar; th&ebar; ∧ gave them vp vnto their hertes lustes to serve sinne / fr&obar; iniquite to iniquitie tyll they were thorow herdened and past repentaunce.

And Pharao / because when the worde of god was in his contre and gods people scattered thorow out all his land / and yet nether loved them or it: therfore god gave him vp / and in takynge his spirite of grace from him so hardened his herte with covetousnes / that afterward no myracle coulde convert him.

Here to pertayneth the parable of the talentes. Mat. xxv. The Lorde c&obar;mmaundeth þe; talent to be tak&ebar; awaye from the evell ∧ slouthfull

servaunt ∧ to binde him hand ∧ fote ∧ to cast him into vtter darcknes / ∧ to geve the talent vnto him that had ten / sayenge: to all þt; have / moare shalbe gev&ebar;. But fr&obar; him þt; hath not / that he hath shalbe tak&ebar; from him. That is to saye / he that hath a good harte toward þe; worde of God / ∧ a set purpose to fassi&obar; his dedes thereafter ∧ to garnishe it with Godly lyvinge ∧ to testifie it to other / the same shall increase more ∧ more dayly in þe; grace of Christ. But he that loveth it not / to lyve therafter ∧ to edifie other / the same shall loose the grace of true knowledge ∧ be blinded agayne and every daye ware worsse and worsse and blinder ∧ blinder / till he be an vtter enemye of the worde of God / ∧ his harte so hardened / that it shalbe impossible to convert him.

And Luk. xii. The servaunt that knoweth his masters will ∧ prepareth not him selfe / shalbe beat&ebar; with many stripes: that is / shall have greater damnacion. And Matt. vii. all that here the worde of God ∧ do not therafter bylde on sande: that is / as the foundaci&obar; layed on sande c&abar;not resist violence of water / but is underminded ∧ over throwen / even so þe; fayth of them that have no lust ner love to þe; lawe of god buylde vpon the sande of their awne ymaginacions / and not on the rocke of godes worde accordinge to his covena&ubar;tes / turneth to desperacion in tyme of tribulacion ∧ when god cometh to iudge.

And the vyneyarde Matt. xxi. planted and hyred oute to the husbandm&ebar; þe; wolde not r&ebar;der

to the Lorde / of the frute in due tyme / and therfore was tak&ebar; from them and hyred oute to other / doth confirme the same. For Christ sayth to the Iewes / þe; kyngdome of hev&ebar; shalbe taken fr&obar; you ∧ gev&ebar; to a nacion that will bring forth the frutes therof / as it is come to passe. For the Iewes haue lost the spirituall knowlydge of god ∧ of his c&obar;maundementes and also of all the scripture / so þt; they can vnderst&obar;de nothynge godlye. And þe; dore is so locked vp that all their knockynge is in vayne / though manye of them take great payne for godes sake. And luke. xiii. the fygge tree that beareth no frute is c&obar;ma&ubar;ded to be plucked vp

And finally / hereto pertayneth with infinite other / the terrible parable of the vncleaue spirite (Luke. xi.) which after he is cast oute / when he cometh ∧ fyndeth his house swepte and garnysshed / taketh to him seuen worsse then him selfe / and cometh and entreth in ∧ dwelleth there / ∧ so is the ende of þe; man worse then the begynnynge. The Iewes / they had clensed th&ebar; selves &wt; god&es; worde / fr&obar; all outward ydolatrye ∧ worshippinge of ydol&es;. But their hertes remayned still faythlesse to godwarde and towarde his mercie and truthe and therfore without loue also and lust to his lawe ∧ to their neyboures for his sake / ∧ thorow false trust in their awne work&es;) to which heresie / the childe of perdicion / the wycked bysshope of Rome &wt; his lawyers hath brought vs christen) were more abhominable ydolaters then before / and become ten tymes worse

in the ende then at the begynnynge. For the fyrst ydolatre was sone spyed and easie to be rebuked of þe; prophetes by the scripture. But the later is more sotle to begyle withall / and an hundred tymes of more dyfficulte to be weded oute of mennes hertes.

This also is a conclusion / nothynge more certayne / or more proued by þe; testimonye ∧ ensamples of þe; scripture: þt; if anye þt; fauoureth the worde of God / be so weke þt; he c&abar;not chast his fleshe / him will þe; lorde chastice ∧ scourge euery daye sharper ∧ sharper / &wt; trybulacyon ∧ mysfortune / þt; nothynge shall prospere &wt; him but all shall go agaynst him / whatsoever he taketh in hande / ∧ shall vyset him &wt; pouertie / with sycknesses ∧ deseases / ∧ shall plage him with plage vpon plage / eche more lothsome / terryble and fearfull then other / tyll he be at vtter defyaunce with his fleshe.

Let vs therfore þt; have now at this tyme oure eyes opened agayne thorow þe; t&ebar;der mercie of God / kepe a meane. Let vs so put oure trust in þe; mercy of god thorow christ / þt; we knowe it oure dutie to kepe þe; lawe of God ∧ to loue oure neyboures for their fathers sake which created th&ebar; ∧ for their lordes sake which redemed th&ebar; ∧ bought th&ebar; so derely &wt; his bloude Let vs walke in þe; feare of God / ∧ have oure eyes op&ebar; vnto both partes of Godes couena&ubar;tes / certified that none shalbe partaker of the mercie / saue he that will fyght agynst þe; flesshe / to kepe þe; lawe. And let vs arme oure selues &wt; this rem&ebar;bra&ubar;ce / that as christes workes

iustifie fr&obar; synne ∧ set vs in þe; fauoure of god / so oure awne dedes thorow workynge of þe; spirite of God / helpe vs to c&obar;tynew in þe; fauoure ∧ þe; grace / into which christ hath brought vs / ∧ that we c&abar; no lenger c&obar;tynew in fauoure ∧ grace th&ebar; oure hert&es; are to kepe the lawe.

Furthermore c&obar;cernynge þe; lawe of God / this is a generall c&obar;clusi&obar; / þt; þe; whole lawe: whether they be ceremonies / sacrifices / ye or sacram&ebar;t&es; ether / or precept&es; of equitie betwene man ∧ m&abar; thorowout all degrees of þe; worlde / all were geu&ebar; for oure proffyt ∧ necessyte onlye / ∧ not for anye nede þt; God hath of oure kepynge th&ebar; / or þt; his ioye is encreased therby or þt; þe; dede / for þt; dede it selfe doth please him That is all þt; God requyreth of vs when we be at one &wt; him ∧ do put oure trust in him ∧ loue him / ^note is þt; we loue euery m&abar; his neyboure to pitie him ∧ to have c&obar;passyon on him in all his ned&es; ∧ to be mercifull vnto him. This to be euen so / christ testifieth. Mat. vii. sayenge: this is þe; lawe ∧ þe; prophets. That is / to do as thou woldest be done to (accordynge I meane to þe; doctryne of þe; scripture) ∧ not to do that thou woldest not haue done to the / is all that the lawe requyreth ∧ the Prophet&es;. And Paule to the Roma. xiii. affyrmeth also the loue is the fullfyllinge of þe; lawe / ∧ that he which loueth / doth of his awne accorde all that the lawe requyreth. And .i. Timo. i. Paul sayth þt; þe; loue of a pure hert ∧ good c&obar;science ∧ fayth vnfayned is þe; ende ∧ fullfillynge of þe; lawe. For fayth vnfayned in christe bloude causeth

to loue for christes sake. Which loue is þe; pure loue onlye ∧ þe; onlye cause of a good c&obar;science. For then is þe; c&obar;scyence pure / when þe; eye loketh to christ in all hir ded&es; / to do them for his sake ∧ not for hir awne synguler aduauntage or anye other wycked purpose. And Ih&obar; both in his gospell ∧ also pistles / speketh neuer of anie other lawe th&ebar; to loue one another purely / affyrmynge þt; we haue God him selfe dwellynge in vs and all that God desyreth / if we loue one the other.

Seinge then that fayth to God ∧ loue ∧ mercifullnes to oure neyboures / is all that þe; lawe requyreth / therfore of necessite the lawe must be vnderst&obar;de ∧ interprete by th&ebar;. So þt; all inferiour law&es; are to be kept ∧ obserued as longe as they be serua&ubar;t&es; to fayth ∧ loue: and then to be broken ymedyatlye / if thorow anye occasyon / they hurte ether þe; fayth which we shuld have to godward in the confidence of christes bloude or the loue which we owe to oure neyboures for Christes sake.

And therfore when þe; blynde pharises murmured ∧ grudged at him ∧ his desciples / that they brake þe; saboth daye ∧ tradycions of the elders / ∧ that he him selfe dyd eate &wt; public&abar;s ∧ synners / he answereth. Mat. ix. allegynge Esaias þe; prophet: go rather ∧ learne what this meaneth / I requver mercie ∧ not sacrifyce. And Mat. xii. Oh þt; ye wyst what this meaneth / I requyer mercie ∧ not sacrifice. For onlye loue ∧ mercifullnes vnderst&obar;deth þe; lawe / ∧ else nothinge. And he that hath not þe;

writt&ebar; in his harte / shall neuer vnderst&obar;de þe; lawe / no: though all þe; &abar;gells of heu&ebar; w&ebar;t aboute to teache him. And he that hath that gran&ebar; in his harte / shall not only vnderst&obar;de þe; lawe but also shall do of his awne inclinacion all that is required of þe; lawe / ^note though neuer lawe had be&ebar; gev&ebar;: as all mothers do of th&ebar; selves without lawe vnto their childr&ebar; / all that can be reqvyred by anye lawe / loue ouercomynge all payne / greffe / tedyousnesse or lothsomnes: ∧ eu&ebar; so no doute if we had c&obar;tynewed in oure fyrst state of innoc&ebar;cie / we shuld euer haue fullfilled þe; lawe / without c&obar;pulsi&obar; of þe; lawe

And because the lawe (which is a doctryne thorow teachynge euery m&abar; his dutye / doth vtter oure corrupt nature) is suffici&ebar;tly described by Moses / therfore is lytle m&ebar;cion made therof in the new testame&ebar;t / save of love only wherin all þe; lawe is included / as seldome m&ebar;cion is made of þe; new testam&ebar;t in the olde lawe / save here ∧ there are promyses made vnto them / þt; Christ shuld come ∧ blesse th&ebar; ∧ delyuer th&ebar; / ∧ þt; the gospell ∧ new testam&ebar;t shuld be preached and publysshed vnto all nacions.

^noteThe gospell is glad tydynges of mercie ∧ grace ∧ þt; oure corrupt nature shalbe healed agayne for christes sake ∧ for þe; merites of his deseruing&es; onlye: Yet on þt; condici&obar; þt; we will turne to God / to lerne to kepe his lawes spiritually / þt; is to saye / of loue for his sake / ∧ wyll also soffre the curynge of oure infirmyties.

^noteThe new testam&ebar;t is as moche to saye as a new couena&ubar;t. The olde testam&ebar;t is an olde t&ebar;porall couena&ubar;t made betwene God ∧ þe; carnall

childr&ebar; of Abraham / Isaac ∧ Iacob otherwise called Israel / vp&obar; þe; dedes ∧ þe; obseruynge of a t&ebar;porall lawe. Where þe; rewarde of þe; kepynge is t&ebar;porall lyfe ∧ prosperyte in þe; lande of Chanaan / ∧ þe; breakynge is rewarded &wt; t&ebar;porall deeth ∧ punyshm&ebar;t. But þe; new testament is an euerlastynge couena&ubar;t made vnto the childr&ebar; of God thorow fayth in christ / vp&obar; the deservyng&es; of christ. Where eternall lyfe is promysed to all that beleve / ∧ death to all that are vnbeleuynge. My ded&es; if I kepe the lawe are rewarded &wt; the t&ebar;porall promys&es; of this lyfe. But if I beleue in christ / christes dedes haue purchased for me the eternall promyse of the euerlastynge lyfe. If I commyt nothynge worthye of deeth / I deserne to my rewarde that no m&abar;kyll me: if I hurte no m&abar; I am worthye that no m&abar; hurte me. If I helpe my neyboure / I am worthie that he helpe me agayne. ∧c. So that &wt; outward dedes &wt; which I serue other m&ebar; / I deserue that other men do lyke to me in this worlde: ∧ they ext&ebar;de no further. But christ&es; ded&es; extende to lyfe euerlastynge vnto all that beleue ∧ce. This be soffyci&ebar;t in this place c&obar;cernynge þe; lawe ∧ the gospell / new testam&ebar;t and olde: so that as there is but one God / one christ / one fayth ∧ one baptime / eu&ebar; so thou vnderst&obar;de that there is but one gospell / though manye wryte it ∧ manye preache it. For all preache the same Christ ∧ brynge the same glad tydynges. And therto paules pistles &wt; þe; gospell of Iohn ∧ his fyrst epistle ∧ the fyrst epistle of saynt peter / are most pure gospell ∧ moost playnlye ∧

rychlye described the glorye of the grace of christ: Yf ye requyer more of the lawe / seke in the prologe to the romayns and in other places where it is sofficientlye intreated of. ¶ Repentaunce.

Concernynge this worde rep&ebar;taunce or (as they vsed) pena&ubar;ce / þe; hebrue hath in þe; olde testam&ebar;t generally (Sob) turne or be c&obar;uerted. For which þe; tr&abar;slacion that we take for saynt Ieromes hath most parte (c&obar;uerti) to turne or be c&obar;uerted / ∧ some tyme yet (agere penitenci&abar;) And þe; greke in the new testam&ebar;t hath perpetually (Metanoeo) to turne in the heart ∧ mynde / ∧ to come to þe; ryght knowledge / ∧ to a mannes ryght wyt agayne. For which (Metanoeo) S. Ieromes tr&abar;slaci&obar; hath: sometyme (ago penet&ebar;ci&abar;) I do rep&ebar;t: sometyme (peniteo) I rep&ebar;t: somtyme (peniteor) I am rep&ebar;taunt: somtyme (habeo penitenci&abar;) I have rep&ebar;taunce: some tyme (penitet me) it rep&ebar;teth me. And Erasmus vseth moche this worde (resipisco) I come to my selfe or to my ryght mynde agayne. And the verye sens and significaci&obar; both of the hebrue ∧ also of þe; greke worde / is / to be c&obar;uerted ∧ to tourne to God with all the hert / to knowe his will ∧ to lyue accordynge to his lawes ∧ to be cured of oure corrupt nature &wt; the oyle of his spirite ∧ wyne of obedy&ebar;ce to his doctryne. Which c&obar;uersion or turnynge if it be vnfayned / these foure do accompanye it ∧ are included therin: Confession / not in the prestes eare / for that is but m&abar;nes inv&ebar;cion / but to God in þe; hert ∧ before

all the c&obar;gregacion of God / how þt; we be synners ∧ synfull / ∧ þt; oure hole nature is corrupt ∧ inclyned to synne ∧ all vnryghteousnes / and therfore euell / wycked ∧ damnable / ∧ his lawe holy ∧ Iust / by which oure synfull nature is rebuked: ∧ also to oure neyboures / if we have offended anye person perticularlye. Then contricion / sorowfullnes that we be soche / damnable synners / ∧ not onlye have synned but are holye inclyned to syne still. Thirdlye fayth (of which oure olde doctour&es; have made no m&ebar;cion at all in þe; descripci&obar; of their pena&ubar;ce) þt; God for christ&es; sake doth forgeue vs ∧ receave vs to mercie / ∧ is at one &wt; vs ∧ will heale oure corrupt nature. And fourthlye satisfaci&obar; or amend&es; makynge / not to god &wt; holye workes / but to my neyboure whome I haue hurt / ∧ the congregaci&obar; of God whome I have offended (yf anye open cryme be fo&ubar;de in me) ∧ submyttynge of a m&abar;s selfe vnto þe; congregacion or church of christ / ∧ to þe; offycers of the same / to have his lyfe corrected ∧ governed hence forth of th&ebar; / accordynge to the true doctryne of þe; church of christ. And note this: that as satisfacion or amendes makynge is counted ryghteousnes before þe; worlde ∧ a purgynge of the synne: so þt; the worlde when I haue made a full amend&es; / hath no further to c&obar;playne. Even so fayth in christes bloude is counted ryghteousnes and a purgynge of all sinne before God.

Morouer / he þt; synneth agaynst his brother synneth also agaynst his father allmyghtie

God. And as þe; synne c&obar;mytted agaynst his brother / is pourged before þe; world &wt; makynge amend&es; or axynge forgeuenes / euen so is þe; synne commytted agaynst God / pourged thorow fayth in christes bloude onlye. For christ sayth. Io. viii. except ye beleue that I am he / ye shall dye in your synnes. That is to saye / if ye th&ibar;ke þt; there is anye other sacrifice or satisfacci&obar; to godwarde / then me / ye remayne euer in synne before God / howsoeuer ryghteous ye apere before þe; world. Wherfore now / whether ye call this Metonoia / repentaunce / c&obar;uersyon or turnynge agayne to God / ether amendynge ∧ ce. or whether ye saye rep&ebar;t / be c&obar;uerted / tourne to god / amende youre lyuynge or what ye lust / I am content so ye vnderstonde what is meant therby / as I have now declared. ¶ Elders.

In the olde testam&ebar;t þe; t&ebar;porall heedes ∧ rulers of þe; Iues which had þe; gouernaunce ouer þe; laye or c&obar;men people are called elders / as ye maye se in þe; foure euangelystes. Oute of which custome paule in his epistle ∧ also peter / call þe; prelates ∧ spirituall gouerners which are bysshopes ∧ prestes / elders. Now whether ye call them elders or prestes / it is to me all one: so þt; ye vnderstonde þt; they be offycers ∧ serua&ubar;tes of the worde of God / vnto the which all men both hie ∧ lowe that will not rebell agaynst Christ / must obeye as longe as they preahe ∧ rule trulye ∧ no lenger.

¶ A prologe into the .iiii. Euangelystes shewynge what they were ∧ their auctoryte. And fyrst of S. Mathew.

As towchynge þe; eu&abar;gelystes: ye se in þe; new testament clearly what they were Fyrst mathew (as ye reade Mat ix. Mat. ii. Luke. v) was one of christ&es; apostles / and was with christ all the tyme of his preachynge / and sawe and heard his awne selfe almost all that he wrote. ¶ Marke

Of Marke reade (actes xii) how peter (after he was loosed oute of pryson by the angell) came to Mark&es; mothers house / where manye of þe; desciples were prayenge for his delyuera&ubar;ce. And paul ∧ Barnabas toke him &wt; th&ebar; fr&obar; Ierusalem ∧ brought him to Antioche / act&es; .xii. And act&es; .xiii. paul ∧ Barnabas toke Marke &wt; them when they were sent oute to preache: from whome he also departed / as it apereth in the sayde chapter / ∧ returned to Ierusalem agayne. And act&es; .xv paul ∧ Barnabas were at varyaunce aboute him / paul not wyllynge to take him &wt; them / because he forsoke th&ebar; in their fyrst Iorneye. Not &wt; stondynge yet / when paul wrote þe; epistle to þe; collossy&abar;s / Marke was &wt; him / as he sayth in the fourth chapter: of whome Paul also testifieth / both þt; he was Barnabas sisters sonne and also his felowe worker in the kyngedome of God.

And .ii. Timothe .iiii paul c&obar;maundeth Timothe to brynge Marke &wt; him / affirmynge þt; he was nedefull to him / to mynister to him. Finallye / he was also &wt; peter when he wrote his fyrst epistle / ∧ so famylier þt; peter calleth him his sonne. Wherof ye se / of whome he learned his gospell / euen of the verye apostles / with whome he had his c&obar;tynuall conversacion / ∧ also of what auctoryte his wrytynge is / and how worthie of credence. ¶ Luke.

Lvcas was Pauls companyon / at the least waye fr&obar; þe;. xvi. of the act&es; forth ∧ with him in all his trybulacy&obar;. And he w&ebar;t with paule at his last goynge vp to Ierusalem. And fr&obar; thence he folowed paul to Cesarea / where he laye two yere in pryson And fr&obar; Cesarea he went with paul to Rome where he laye two other yeres in pryson. And he was with Paul when he wrote to þe; collossy&obar;s / as he testifieth in þe; fourth chapter sayenge: the beloued Lucas the phisici&obar; saluteth you. And he was &wt; paul wh&ebar; he wrote þe; sec&obar;de pistle to Timothe / as he sayth &ibar; þe; fourth chapter sayenge: Onlye Lucas is with me. Wherby ye se þe; auctorite of the man and of what cred&ebar;ce ∧ reuer&ebar;ce his wrytinge is worthie of / ∧ therto of whome he learned þe; storye of his gospell / as he him selfe sayth / how þt; he learned it ∧ searched it oute with all dylygence of them þt; sawe it and were also parttakers

at the doynge. And as for the actes of þe; apostles / he him selfe was at the doynge of th&ebar; (at the least) of the moost parte / ∧ had his parte therin / and therfore wrote of his awne experyence. ¶ Iohn.

Iohn / what he was / is manyfest by the thre fyrst eu&abar;gelist&es;. Fyrst christes apostle / ∧ þt; one of þe; chefe. Th&ebar; christes nye kinsm&abar; / ∧ for his synguler innoc&ebar;cie ∧ softenes / singulerlye beloued ∧ of synguler famyliarite with christ / ∧ euer one of þe; thre wytnesses of moost secret thynges. The cause of his wrytynge was certayne heresyes that arose in his tyme / ∧ namelye two / of which one denyed christ to be verye man ∧ to be come in þe; verie fleshe ∧ nature of man. Agaynst which two heresyes he wrote both his gospell ∧ also his fyrst epistle / ∧ in þe; begynnynge of his gospell sayth þt; the worde or thynge was at þe; begynnynge / ∧ was &wt; God / ∧ was also verye God and þt; all thynges was created ∧ made by yt / and þt; it was also made fleshe: þt; is to saye / became verie m&abar;. And he dwelt am&obar;ge vs (sayth he) ∧ we sawe his glorye.

And in þe; begynnynge of his pistle / he saith we shew you of þe; thynge þt; was fr&obar; the begynnynge / which also we heard / sawe &wt; oure eyes ∧ oure handes h&abar;deled. And agayne we shew you euerlastynge lyfe / that was with þe; father and apered to vs / ∧ we heard and sawe. ∧ ce.

In that he sayth that it was from the begynnynge / and that it was eternall lyfe / and that it was with God / he affirmeth him to be verie God. And that he sayth / we hearde / sawe and fealte / he wytnesseth that he was verie man also. Ihon also wrote last / and therfore touched not the storie that the other had compiled. But wryteth most of the fayth and promyses / ∧ of the sermones of Christ. This be sofficient concerninge the .iiii. Euangelistes and their auctoritie and worthynes to be beleued.

[Errata]

¶ A warninge to þe; reader if ought be scaped thorow necligence of the prynter / as this text is þt; foloweth / which if thou fynde anye more soche: c&obar;pare þe; englyshe to þe; other bookes that are all readye prynted / ∧ so shalt thou perceaue the truthe of the ynglish. ^note

Willyam Tindale / yet once more to the christen reader.

Thou shalt vnderstonde moost dere reader / when I had taken in h&abar;de to looke ouer the new testament agayne ∧ to c&obar;pare it with þe; greke / and to mende whatsoeuer I coulde fynde amysse ∧ had almost fynesshed þe; laboure: George Ioye secretly toke in hand to correct it also by what occasyon his conscyence knoweth: ∧ preu&ebar;ted me / in so moche / þt; his correccy&obar; was prynted in great nombre / yet myne beg&abar;ne. When it was spyed and worde brought me: though it semed to dyuers other þt; George Ioye had not vsed þe; offyce of an honest m&abar; / seinge he knew þt; I was in correctynge it my selfe: nether dyd walke after þe; rules of þt; loue ∧ softenes which christ / ∧ his desciples teache vs / how þt; we shuld do nothynge of stryfe to moue debate / or of vayne glorie or of couetousnes. Yet I toke þe; th&ibar;ge in worth as I have done dyuers other in tyme past / as one that have moare expery&ebar;ce of þe; nature ∧ dysposici&obar; of þe; m&abar;nes c&obar;plexion / ∧ supposed that a lytle spyse of couetousnes ∧ vayne glorie (two blynde gydes) had bene þe; onlye cause þt; moued him so to do / aboute which thynges I stryue with no man: ∧ so folowed after ∧ corrected forth ∧ caused this to be prynted / without surmyse or lokynge on his correctyon.

But when the pryntynge of myne was almost fynesshed / one brought me a copie ∧ shewed me so manye places / in soche wyse altered that I was astonyed ∧ wondered not a lytle what furye had dryu&ebar; him to make soche chaunge ∧ to call it a diligent correcti&obar;. For thorow onte Mat. Mark ∧ Luke perpetually: and ofte in the actees / ∧ sometyme in Iohn ∧ also in the hebrues / where he fyndeth this worde Resurrecci&obar; / he chaungeth it into þe; lyfe after this lyfe / or verie lyfe / and soche lyke / as one that abhorred the name of the resurreccion.

If that chaunge / to turne resurreccion into lyfe after this lyfe / be a dylygent correccion / then must my translaci&obar; be fautie in those places / ∧ saynt Ieromes / and all þe; translatours that euer I heard of in what tonge so euerit be / fr&obar; þe; apostles vnto this his dylyg&ebar;t correccy&obar; (as he calleth it) which whither it be so or no / I permyt it to other mennes iudgem&ebar;tes.

But of this I chalenge George Ioye / that he dyd not put his awne name therto and call it rather his awne translacion: ∧ that he playeth boo pepe / ∧ &ibar; some of his bookes putteth in his name ∧ tytle / and in some kepeth it oute It is lawfull for who will / to translate and shew his mynde / though a thousand had tr&abar;slated before him. But it is not lawfull (thynketh me) ner yet expedy&ebar;t for the edifienge of the unitie of the fayth of christ / that whosoeuer will / shall by his awne auctorite / take ano ther mannes translacion ∧ put oute ∧ in and

chaunge at pleasure / ∧ call it a correccion.

Moreover / ye shall vnderst&obar;de that George Ioye hath had of a longe tyme marvelouse ymaginaci&obar;s aboute this worde resurrecci&obar; / þt; it shuld be taken for the state of the soules after their departinge fr&obar; their bodyes / ∧ hath also (though he hath been reasoncd with therof ∧ desyred to cease) yet sowen his doctryne by secret lettres on that syde the see / ∧ caused great division am&obar;ge þe; brethr&ebar;. In so moche that Iohn Fryth beynge in preson in the toure of Lond&obar; / a lytle before his death / wrote þt; we shuld warne him ∧ desyer him to cease / ∧ wolde have then wrytten agaynst him / had I not withstonde him. Therto I have been sence informed þt; no small n&obar; ber thorow his curiosite / vtterly denye the resurreccion of þe; flesshe ∧ bodye / affirminge þe; the soule wh&ebar; she is departed / is the spirituall bodye of the resurreccion / ∧ other resurreccion shall there none be. And I have talked with some of them my selfe / so doted in that folye / that it were as good perswade a post / as to plucke that madnes oute of their braynes. And of this all is George Ioyes vnquyet curiosite þe; hole occasion / whether he be of the sayde facci&obar; also / or not / to that let him answer him selfe.

If George Ioye wyll saye (as I wot well he will) that his chaunge / is the sence ∧ meaninge of those scriptures. I answer it is soner sayde then proved: howbeit let other m&ebar; iudge. But though it were þe; verie meaninge

of the scripture: yet if it were lawfull after his ensample to every man to playe boo pepe with the translacions that are before him / ∧ to put oute þe; wordes of þe; text at his pleasure ∧ to put in every where his meaninge: or what he thought the meaninge were / that were the next waye to stablyshe all heresyes and to destroye the grounde wherewith we shuld improve them. As for an ensample / wh&ebar; Christ sayth Io. v. The tyme shall come in þe; which all that are in the graves shall heare his voyce ∧ shall come forth: they that have done good vnto resurreccion of lyfe / or with the resurreccion of lyfe / ∧ they have done evell / vnto þe; reccion or with the resurreccion of damnaci&obar;. George Ioyes correccion is / they that have done good shall come forth into the verie lyfe / ∧ they that have done evell into the life of damnaci&obar; / thrustinge cleane oute this worde resurrecci&obar;. Now by þe; same auctorite / ∧ &wt; as good reason shall another come ∧ saye of the rest of þe; text / they þt; are in þe; sepulchres / shall heare his voyce / that þe; sence is / the soules of th&ebar; that are in the sepulchres shall heare his voyce / ∧ so put in his diligent correccion ∧ mocke oute þe; text / that it shall not make for þe; resurrecci&obar; of the flesshe / which thinge also George Ioyes correcci&obar; doth manyfestlye affirme. If the text be lefte vncorrupt / it will pourge hir selfe of all maner false gloses / how sotle soever they be fayned / as a sethinge pot casteth vp hir scome. But yf the false glose be

made the text / diligentlye oversene ∧ correct / wherewith then shall we correcte false doctrine ∧ defende Christes flocke from false opinione / ∧ fr&obar; þe; wycked heresyes of raveninge of wolves? In my mynde therfore a lytle vnfayned love after the rules of Christ / is worth moche hie learninge / ∧ single ∧ sleyght vnderstondinge that edifieth in vnitie / is moche better then sotle curiosite / ∧ mekenes better then bolde arrogancye and stondinge over moche in a mannes awne consayte.

Wherfore / concernynge the resurreccion / I protest before god and oure savioure Iesus Christ / and before the vniversall congregacion that beleveth in him / that I beleve accordynge to the open and manyfest scriptures ∧ catholyck fayth / that Christ is rysen agayne in þe; flesshe which he receaved of his mother þe; blessed virgin marie / ∧ bodye wherin he dyed. And þt; we shall all both good and bad ryse both flesshe ∧ bodye / ∧ apere together before the iudgement seat of christ / to receave every man accordynge to his dedes. And that the bodyes of all that beleve ∧ contynew in the true fayth of christ / shalbe endewed &wt; lyke immortalyte and glorie as is þe; bodye of christ

And I protest before God and oure savioure Christ ∧ all that beleve in him / that I holde of þe; soules that are departed as moche as maye be proved by manifest ∧ op&ebar; scripture / ∧ thinke the soules departed in the fayth of Christ ∧ love of the lawe of God / to be in no worse case then þe; soule of Christ was / fr&obar; þe; tyme

þt; he delivered his sprite into the handes of his father / vntyll the resurreccion of his bodye in glorie ∧ immortalite. Neverthelater / I c&obar;fesse openly / þt; I am not persuaded þt; they be all readie in the full glorie that Christ is in / or the elect angels of god are in. Nether is it anye article of my fayth: for if it so were / I se not but then the preachinge of the resurrecci&obar; of the flesshe were a thinge in vayne. Not withstondinge yet I am readie to beleve it / if it maye be proved with open scripture. And I have desyred George Ioye to take op&ebar; textes that seme to make for þt; purpose / as this is. To daye thou shalt be with me in Paradise / to make therof what he coulde / and to let his dreames aboute this worde resurreccion goo. For I receave not in þe; scripture þe; pryvat interpretaci&obar; of any m&abar;nes brayne / without op&ebar; testimony of eny scriptures agreinge thereto.

Moreover I take God (which alone seeth þe; heart) to recorde to my conscience / besechinge him þt; my parte be not in þe; bloude of Christ / if I wrote of all þt; I have wrytt&ebar; thorow oute all my boke / ought of an evell purpose / of envie or malice to anye m&abar; / or to stere vp any false doctrine or opinion in the churche of Christ / or to be auctor of anye secte / or to drawe disciples after me / or that I wolde be estemed or had in pryce above the least chylde þt; is borne / save onlye of pitie ∧ c&obar;passion I had ∧ yet have on the blindnes of my brethr&ebar; / ∧ to bringe them vnto the knowledge of Christ / ∧

to make every one of them / if it were possible as perfect as an angell of heav&ebar; / ∧ to wede oute all þt; is not planted of oure hevenly father / ∧ to bringe doune all that lyfteth vp it selfe agaynst the knowledge of the salvacion that is in þe; bloude of Christ. Also / my parte be not in Christ / if myne heart be not to folowe ∧ lyve accordinge as I teache / and also if myne heart wepe not nyght ∧ daye for myne awne synne ∧ other mennes indiffer&ebar;tlye / besechinge God to c&obar;vert vs all / ∧ to take his wrath from vs / ∧ to be mercifull as well to all other men / as to myne awne soule / caringe for the welth of the realme I was borne in / for the kinge and all that are therof / as a tender hearted mother wolde do for hir only sonne.

As concerninge all I have translated or other wise written / I beseche all men to reade it for that purpose I wrote it: even to bringe them to the knowledge of the scripture. And as farre as the scripture approveth it / so farre to alowe it / ∧ if in anye place the worde of god dysalow it / there to refuse it / as I do before oure savyour Christ ∧ his congregacion. And where they fynde fautes / let them shew it me / if they be nye / or wryte to me / if they be farre of: or wryte op&ebar;ly agaynst it ∧ improve it / ∧ I promyse them / if I shall perceave that there reasons conclude I will confesse myne ignoraunce openly.

Wherfore I beseche George Ioye / ye ∧ all other to / for to translate þe; scripture for them

selves / whether oute of Greke / Latyn or Hebrue. Or (if they wyll nedes) as þe; foxe when he hath pyssed in þe; grayes hole chalengeth it for his awne / so let them take my translacions ∧ laboures / ∧ chaunge ∧ after / ∧ correcte ∧ corrupte at their pleasures / and call it their awne translaci&obar;s / ∧ put to their awne names / ∧ not to playe boo pepe after George Ioyes maner. Which whether he have done faythfully ∧ truly / with soche reverence ∧ feare as bec&obar;meth the worde of God / ∧ with soche love and mekenes ∧ affeccion to vnite and circ&ubar;spexcion that the vngodlye have none occasion to rayle on the verite / as bec&obar;meth þe; servauntes of Christ / I referre it to the iudgem&ebar;tes of them that knowe and love the trouth. For this I protest / that I provoke not Ioye ner any other man (but am prouoked / ∧ that after the spytfullest maner of provokynge) to do sore agaynst my will and with sorow of harte that I now do. But I nether can ner will soffre of anye man / that he shall goo take my translacion and correct it without name / ∧ make soche chaungynge as I my selfe durst not do / as I hope to have my parte in Christ / though the hole worlde shuld be gev&ebar; me for my laboure.

Finally that new Testam&ebar;t thus dylig&ebar;tly corrected / besyde this so ofte puttinge oute this worde resurreccion / and I wote not what other cha&ubar;ge / for I have not yet reede it over / hath in the ende before the Table of the

Epistles and Gospelles this tytle:

(Here endeth the new Testament dylygentlye ouersene and correct and printed now agayne at Andwarp / by me wydow of Christophell of Endhouen. In the yere of oure Lorde. A. M. D. xxxiiii. in August.) Which tytle (reader) I have here put in because by this thou shalt knowe the booke the better. Vale.

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