the Old Testament. And at last they laid it unto Christ's charge, as ye may see in the gospel, and to the charge of the apostles, as ye may see in the Acts. But at all such times, the hypocrites themselves stirred up such a sword to maintain their falsehood, that evermore a great part of the world perished through their own mischievous incensing and provoking princes to battle. These hypocrites laid to Wickliff's charge, (and do yet) that his doctrine caused insurrection: but they, to quench the truth of his preaching, slew the right king, and set up three false kings a row: by which mischievous sedition, they caused half England to be slain up, and brought the realm into such reign and desolation, that M. More could say in his Utopia, that as Englishmen were wont to eat sheep, even so their sheep now eat up them by whole parishes at once, besides other inconveniences that he then saw. And so the hypocrites say now likewise, that God's word causeth insurrection; but ye shall see shortly that these hypocrites themselves after their old wont and ensamples in quenching the truth that uttereth their juggling, shall cause all realms Christian to rise one against another, and some against themselves. Ye shall see then run out before the year come about, that which they have been in brewing (as I have marked) above this dozen years, &c. This much have I said because of them that deceive you, to give you an occasion to judge the spirits. A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. IDO marvel greatly, dearly beloved in Christ, that ever any man should repugn or speak against the Scripture to be had in every language, and that of every man. For I thought that no man had been so blind to ask why light should be shewed to them that walk in darkness, where they cannot but stumble, and where to stumble, is the danger of eternal damnation; other so despiteful that he would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing; or so Bedlam mad to affirm that good is the natural cause of evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, that lying should be grounded in truth and verity, and not rather clean contrary, that light destroyeth darkness, and verity reproveth all manner [of] lying. Nevertheless, seeing that it hath pleased God to send unto our Englishmen, even to as many as unfeignedly desire it, the Scripture in their mother tongue, considering that there be in every place false teachers and blind leaders, that ye should be deceived of no man, I supposed it very necessary to prepare this Pathway into the Scripture for you, that ye might walk surely and ever know the true from the false. And above all to put you in remembrance of certain points, which are, that ye well understand what these words mean: The Old Testament. Scriptures translated into every language. should be The cause of the edi tion of this Pathway. What are contained in the Old Testament. The New Testament. The law. The gospel. Moses, Christ, Nature, Grace. Working and believing. Deeds and faith. Lest we ascribe to the one that which belongeth to the other, and make of Christ Moses, of the gospel the law, despise grace and rob faith: and fall from meek learning into idle disputations, brawling and scolding about words. The Old Testament is a book, wherein is written the law of God, and the deeds of them which fulfil them, and of them also which fulfil them not. The conThe New Testament is a book, wherein are contained tents of the promises of God, and the deeds of them which bethe New Testament. lieve them or believe them not. The etymology of this word Evangelion. Evangelion is called the New Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word, and signifieth good, merry, glad and joyful tidings, that maketh a man's heart glad, and maketh him sing, dance and leap for joy. As when David had killed Goliah the giant, came glad tidings unto the Jews, that their fearful and cruel enemy was slain, and they delivered out of all danger: for gladness whereof, they sung, danced, and were joyful. In like manner is the Evangelion of God (which we call gospel, and the New Testament) joyful tidings; and, as some say, a good hearing published by the apostles throughout all the world, of Christ the right David, how that he hath fought with sin, with death, and the devil, and overcome them. Whereby all men that were in bondage to sin, wounded with death, overcome of the devil, are, without their own merits or deservings, loosed, justified, restored to life and saved, brought to liberty and reconciled unto the favour of God, and set at one with him again which tidings, as many as believe laud, praise, and thank God; are glad, sing and dance for joy. This Evangelion or gospel (that is to say, such joyful tidings) is called the New Testament. Because that as a Testament. man, when he shall die, appointeth his goods to be dealt and distributed after his death among them which he nameth to be his heirs; even so Christ before his death |