¶ A path way iÌ„to the holy scripture ⧠⧠⧠A pathwaye into holy c. I Do maâ—ueyle greatly derely beloued in Christ that euer any man shulde repugne or speke agaynst the scrypture to be hadde in euery language and that of euery man For I thought that no man had ben so blynd to aske why lyght shuld be shewed to them that walke in darknes where they can nat but stomble where to stomble is the dauÌ„ger of eternall dampnacion either so dispytefull that he wolde enuy any man I speake nat his brother so necessary a thing or so bedlem mad to afferme that good is the naturall cause of euyll darkenesse to procede out of lyght that lyeng shulde be grounded in trouth verytie and nat rather clene contrary that lyght distroyeth darkenes and veritye reproueth all maner lyenge Neuerthelesse seyng that it hath pleased god to sende vnto oure Englysshe men euen to as many as vnfaynedly desyre it the scrypture in their mother tonge consyderynge that there be in euery place false techers blynde leders that ye shuld be disceyued of no man I supposed it very necessarye to prepayre this Path way into the scripture for you that ye myght walke surely euer know the trewe from the false And aboue al to put you in remeÌ„braunce of certayne pointes which ar That ye well vnderstande what these wordes meane The olde Testament the newe Testament the lawe the gospell Moses Christ nature grace workyng beleuyng dedes and fayth Lâ—â—t we ascrybe to the one that whiche belongeth to the other and make of Christ Moses of the gospell the law dispyse grace and robbe fayth and fall from meke lernynge in to ydle dispicyons braulynge and scoldinge about wordes The olde testament is a boke wherin is written the lawe of god the dedes of them which fulfyll them of them also which fulfyll them nat ¶ The newe Testament is a boke wherin are conteyned the promyses of god the dedes of them whiche beleue them or beleue them nat EuaÌ„gelion that we call the gospel is a greke worde sygnifyeth good mery glad ioyfull tidynges that maketh a mannes herte glad maketh him synge daunce leape for ioye As whaÌ„ Dauid had killed Go lyath the giauÌ„t came glad tidinges vnto the iewes that their fearfull cruell enemy was slayne they delyuered out of all danger for gladnes wherof they soÌ„ge dauÌ„sed wer ioyfull In lyke maner is the euangelion of god which we cal gospel the new testameÌ„t ioyfull tidyngê and as some saye A good herynge publysshed by the apostels through oute all the worlde of Christe the righte Dauyd howe that he hathe fought with synne with dethe and the deuyll and ouercome them Whereby all men that were in bondage to synne wounded with dethe ouercome of the Deuyll are withoute their owne meryttes or deseruynges losed iustifyed restored to lyfe and saued brought to lybertie and reconsyled vnto the fauoure of god and set at one with him agayne which tidynges as many as beleue laude prayse and thanke god are glad synge daunce for ioye ¶ This Euangelyon or Gospell that is to saye suche ioyfull tidynges is called the newe Testament Because that as a maÌ„ whan he shal dye appoynteth his goodes to be delte and distributed after his deth amonge them whiche he nameth to be his heyres Euyn so Christ before his deth commaunded and appoynted that suche Euangelyon Gospell or tidynges shulde be declared throughoute all the worlde and therwith to gyue vnto all that repent and beleue all his goodes that is to saye his lyfe wherewith he swalowed and deuoured vp deth his rightwysnesse wherwith he banysshed synne his saluacion wherwith he ouercame eternall dampnacyon Now can the wretched man that knoweth him selfe to be wrapped in syn and in daunger to dethe and Hell here no more ioyouse a thynge than suche gladde and comfortable tidynges of Christ so that he can nat but be gladde and laugh from the lowe bottome of his hert if he beleue that the tidynges are trewe ¶ To strength such fayth with all god promysed this his euangelyon in the olde testameut by the prophetes as Paule sayth in the fyrst chapiter vnto the Romayns Howe that he was chosen out to preche goddes Euangelion whiche he before had promysed by the prophetê in the holy scriptures that treate of his soÌ„ne which was borne of the sede of Dauyd In the thirde chapiter of Genesis god sayth to the serpente I wyll put hatered betwene the the woman betwene thy seede and her sede that selfe sede shall treade thy heed vnder fote Christ is the womans sede he it is that hath troden vnder fote the deuyls heede that is to saye synne dethe hell and all his power For without this sede can no maÌ„ auoyde synne deth hell and euerlastynge dampnacion Agayne Gene. xxii God promysed Abraham sayeng In thy sede shall all the generacyons of the erthe be blessed Christ is that sede of Abraham saith s Paul in the third to the Galathyans He hath blessed al the worlde throughe the Gospell For where Christe is nat there remayneth the curse that fell on Adam as sone as he had synned so that they are in bondage vnder the dampnacyon of synne deth hell Against this curse blesseth nowe the gospell all the worlde in as moch as it cryeth openly vnto all that knowledge their synnes and repent sayenge Who so euer beleueth on the sede of Abraham shal be blessed that is he shall be delyuered from synne deth and hell and shall hence forthe contynewe â—ightwyse saued for euer as Christ him selfe sayth in the. xi of Johan He that beleued on me shall neuer more dye ¶ The lawe sayth Jo. in the fyrst â—ha was gyuen by Moses but grace and vertue by Jesus Christ The lawe whose minyster is Moses was gyuen to bringe vs vnto the knowledge of oure selues that we myght thereby fele perceyue what we are of nature The law condemneth vs all oure dedes is called of Paule in the third cha of the. ii pistle vnto the corinthians the mynistracyon of dethe For it kylleth oure conscyences and drweth vs to disperacyon in as moche as it requyreth of vs that which is vnpossyble for our nature to do It requyreth of vs the dedes of an hole man It requyreth ê‘fet loue from the low bottom and grounde of the hert as well in all thynges which we suffre as in tho thiges which we do But sayth JohnÌ„ in the same place â–ª grace and veritye is gyuen vs by Christ so that whaâ— the lawe hathe passed vpon vs condempned vs to dethe which is his nature to do than haue we in Christ grace that is to say fauour promyses of lyfe of mercy of pardone frely by the merytes of Christ in Christ haue we veritye and trouth in that god for his sake fulfylleth all his promyses to them that beleue Therfore is the gospell the
gyue the goddes that belonge to their chyldren which the pore meÌ„ shulde haue that thorowe wekenes can nat gette their lyuynge vnto a sort of vyllayn swyneheedes stroÌ„ge lubbers which haue streÌ„gth ynough to labour for their lyuynge the whiche ye ought nat to fede for he that wyll nat labour sayth the Appostle shulde nat eate Furthermore ye ought to loue your neighbour and his helthe so ardentlye that ye shulde nat stycke to dye for him yf case requyred the which thinge betokeneth sygnifyeth the coÌ„munyoÌ„ of the precyouse body blode of our lorde that we be one bodye in Jesu Christe lykewyse as he dyed for vs so we do dye one for another for we must loue one another lykewise as he loued vs for so he coÌ„mauÌ„deth vs sayeng I gyue you a new commauÌ„dement that one of you loue another lykewise as I haue loued you ¶ In this charite loue is the soÌ„me and conclusion of all scripture For that maketh vs loue for the honor of god fader moder husband wife children brethreÌ„ systers all other thinge except god ye our selue and maketh vs leaue forsake for elles we can nat be the discyples of Jesu Christ without beynge his disciples we can haue no porcyon nor parte with him for he that loâ—eth any thynge excepte he loue it only for the loue of god â—he hath nat yet forsaken al thiÌ„ges but he that loueth nothinge but for the loue of god and nether doth nether willeth anythiÌ„ge but for the loue honoure of god he hath truâ—y forsaken all thinges Take hede you do nat misunderstaÌ„de me for whan I saye that you shulde forsake all thinge I do nat meane that you shulde entre relygion make yourself a monke a frere or a noÌ„ne for there is no â—eple in the worlde that hath les forsaken all thinge thaÌ„ they Whom shall ye se more busyer more curious about other mens busynes thaÌ„ thâ—y whoÌ„ shall ye se more couetous hauynge lesse pitye mercy on the pore lesse feringe regardynge god his holy worde lesse ferynge to breke his coÌ„mauÌ„dement which standeth all in loue toward a mans neyboure whiche they consydre nat but gyue â—â—lygence that their bely be full kepyng theÌ„ to the rulers that maÌ„ hath made settynge lyght by the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god ye brekynge them dayly â—n that they ouercharge and deuour the houses of poore wydowes and other simple people vnder the coloure of longe prayer fayned holynesse ¶ To the ende that such as seke noÌ„ other but to deuoure you dysceyue you nat it is necessary that you holde you vnto the worde of god And that you maye the lyghtlyer vnderstande the scripture ye shall vnderstande that in holy scripture we haue the lawe whiche is so called for the most parte somtyme it is called the lawe of bondage of the flesshe and of synne we haue of workes of rightuousnes of man and also of workes of the flesshe of the law On â—he othersyde we haue also the gosâ—ell the law of lyberte of the spirit and of grace of fayth and of the rightousnesse that cometh of god of the gospell fayth and spirite ¶ The lawe is called generally in all scripture euery coÌ„maundement by the which we ar coÌ„mauÌ„ded to do or to shon nat do any thynge as thou shalte loue god aboue all thiÌ„ge thou shalte nat sley thou shalte nat desyre any thinge that is to saye thou shalte nat coueyt or desyre any thynge contrary vnto the motion of the spirite of god for all concupiscence of lust contrary to the wyll of god is synne whan the lawe is set before vs giueÌ„ vs by by our flesshe that is to saye we our selfe which be nothynge but flesshe with out the spirit of god begynne for to waxe angry to be inflamed set a fyre to be moued styrred with great iudignacioÌ„ by the reson of our synne filthines which the law sheweth openeth vnto vs for before the workyng of the law maÌ„ was in peace brought a slepe in syn nat per ceyuynge the concupiscence lustes nat beleuyng that they were synnes but whan he hath receyued the lawe he feleth his synne out of the which he can nat draw himself for the more he goth about by his owne workes vertues and strengthe to ryse out of synne the more he augmenteth and encreaseth his synne For as saynt Paule sayth god sent vnto vs his sonne bycause it was impossyble for vs to kepe the lawe by the reason of the infirmite that was in vs to the ende that the rightousnes whiche cometh of fayth myght be parfyt in vs for if it had ben possyble for vs to haue ben iustifyed by the lawe to haue fulfylled it what nede christ to haue dyed And bicause it is impossyble to accomplysshe and fulfyll the lawe withoute the spiryte of god the flesshe grudgeth full of angre and malyce sayenge How is it possyble that I loue god aboue all thyng or by that meanes I shulde haue my hert alwayes vp to god which hert of his owne nature can nat thiÌ„ke nor ymagyne any thinge but vanytie requyrynge alwayes and in all thinges his owne glory profyte and nat the honour of god nor the profyte of myne euen christen Helas I seke nat that thige that shuld be to Christes plesure but all togyther myne owne commodytie Howe is it possyble but I shulde haue concupisceÌ„ce lustyng coÌ„trary to the wyll of god coÌ„sydriÌ„g that I am nothiÌ„g but flessh whiche hath euer desyres agaynst the spiryt by the reason wherof I can nat do that thing that I wolde Helas wherfore hath god gyueÌ„ this lawe which is so burdenous so weighty And on this facyon the flesshe sore greued with the weight of the law whiche is more than he can bere perceyuynge how sore it doth condempne him all his dedes begynneth for to curse hate the lawe so consequently god which made the law for this cause saiÌ„t Paul saith The law worketh angre in as moch as the flesshe knowyng his offences hauynge his offences layde before him by the lawe and seynge that he can nat ryse out of them doth wrestel and stryue with himfelfe murmurynge agaynst the lawe as before is sayde questyoneth reasoneth in him selfe why god gaue the â—awe to Adam of the fruite of lyfe and why he made hiÌ„ nat of such naâ—ure that he shulde nat synne such other thinges which by gret ignomynies blasphemies against god and his hye wisdome which maÌ„ beyng but asshes dust presâ—meth to iuge reprehende the diuine prudeÌ„ce And it is as moch as to wyl that god were nat god For if he wer nat rightouse in euery thynge he were nat god his iustyce rightuousnes requyre that such inhibicions lawes shuld be ministred to the orgulous proude flesshe for to bringe hiÌ„ down out of his pride Wherfore
to wyll that these holy lawes were nat giueÌ„ to men is to wyll that god were nat such be the blasphemies of the flessh whan she receyueth the lawe which is spuÌ„all in the which she hath no inteÌ„demeÌ„t nor vnderstaÌ„ding for she weneth to coÌ„passe it by workes which thinge onely faythe doth And now whaÌ„ he seeth perceiueth that though he do neuer so moch he caÌ„ nat accomplissh or fulfil the law than is he full of horrour of dispeyre seyng that hell is redy for him bicause of the transgression of the lawe whan he can imagyn â—o wayes to auoyde the indignatioÌ„ of the law than all disolate full of dispayre he begâ—neth to abhorre the lawe without the father of heuen draw him inspyre him the way to fulfyll the lawe he doth all coÌ„trary to it For of hiÌ„ selfe he can nat chuse but synne do euyll And therfore is the lawe gyuen vs bycause we shuld know our sâ—nes the only of fyce of the lawe is nat to iustify vs but she we vs our wekenesse feblenesse in well doyng to shew man that he hath deserued deth damnation which by his own power he caÌ„ nat shon to the ende that a maÌ„ knowyng his owne wekenes vnablenes to do well dispeyre of his own vertue strength settinge asyde all coÌ„fydence in any thâ—ge that he caÌ„ do humble him selfe knowleging that if our mercyfull lorde of his vnspekable mercy delyuer him nat from deth and dampnacyon the whiche he hath deserued thorow transgressyon of the lawe he had perysshed and ben dampned for euer For if oure fearse and proude herte be nat mekened fyrst by the lawe and make vs confesse oure selfe Synners we shulde neuer be saued by Christ for he came for to saue synners and vnrightuous nat them that be rightuouse and iust which iustify them selfe by their workes ¶ But whan a man knoweth his owne fylthynes abhomination seeth that he is condeÌ„ned rightuously to euerlastynge deth thaÌ„ cometh the gospell which is to say glad tydynges in vse is presented vnto hiÌ„ which sayth Thou wretched thefe whiche woldest haue depriued god of his godheed woldest haue ben thyne owne god thorow thy pride Thou wretched desperate caityfe which after the iust iugemeÌ„t of god haddest deserued to be hanged on the galowes of hell which hast the halter about thy necke that is to saye thy wyl thy flesshe thy lustes whiche be lordes ouer the by reasoÌ„ that the spirite of god ruleth nat in the. The most mercy full god hath sente the thy pardone and wyll nat that this iugement be executed but that thou be quyte and haue thy lyfe be delyuered from the handes of the deuyll of hell which was thy haÌ„ge man whom thou dydest serue and worke to And he hath nat alonely rydde the from dethe and made the his seruant but also graunteth the to be his soÌ„ne and inherytour with our swete sauyoure Jesus whiche is become thy brother whom the father of his infynite goodnes and kindnes nat for bicause of thy good dedes which hast done neuer but euyll hath gyueÌ„ for the to make full satis factyon for all thy euyll dedes so that thou beleue that he dyed for thy synne rose agayne to iustifye the which desyreth none other thig but to saue that the which was lost that is to saye synners whiche thorowe their owne deseruynges were in the way of daÌ„pnacion And whaÌ„ the conscience which was before full of great drede hereth this good tydynges if god gyue theÌ„ the grace to gyue credeÌ„ce therto beleue theÌ„ than they be certayne by the reason of this fayth that they be pardoned of all their offeÌ„ces thorow the deth and passyon of Jesu Christ Than coÌ„ceyue they a gret ioye myrth in warde reioysynge in theÌ„ selfe And our mercyfull lorde in gyuynge vs this fayth gyueth vs also his spirit the which maketh vs the very chyldren of god thorow faith the very â—eÌ„bres of the body of Jesu christ we be in all thynges alwayes conduyted directe by this holy spirite of god for otherwyse could we nat be the chyldren of god for they only be the chyldren of god which be led by the spirit of god So we hauiÌ„g this holy spirite in vs to be our gyde directour of our iourney whiche is all charyte loue by the whiche the lawe is accomplysshed the lawe is fulfylled in vs. And by the reason of his holy spirit which gydeth vs we go no more in the waye of the flessh For the flessh hath no leÌ„ger dominion ouer vs but is caste out of his kiÌ„gdome Christ reining in vs by the holy ghost which causeth vs dayly to mortify our flesshe which alwayes is contrary vnto the spirit destroyeng pullyng downe and coÌ„suminge our concupiscences and lustes by the fyre of charyte And albeit that this concupiscens is syn ye mortall synne of his owne nature neuertheles it is nat imputed nor rekened vnto vs which ar membres of Jesu Christ consyderynge that by the reasoÌ„ of the spirit of god we loue god with all our hert desyre nothing so moch as the wyl of god to be done in vs. And so by the reasoÌ„ that we haue this good spirit in vs we neuer siÌ„ne For this newe natiuyte by the which we be made the infantes of god doth coÌ„serue kepe vs that is the holyghost which thorowe fayth is gyuen vs. But in as moch as all our wyttes wyll intendementes be but flessh as loÌ„g as we be â—uironed clogged with this corruptyble bodye which is a gret let vnto the soule we caÌ„ nat be without sinne seing that all thinge that is in vs excepte the gyftes of god which sue come of faith is alwayes contrary vnto the spirit by the reason wherof euermore as touchynge the olde man fyrst Adam the outward man the man of syn flesshe we syn And if we saye that we haue no synne we lye deceyue our selues bycause of this haue we cause euermore to mekeÌ„ our self and to put awaye all confydence in vs or in oure workes gyuynge all glory vnto god which of his only grace delyuered vs from the captyuytie of deth makynge it of no effecte or power to lose or distroy vs. For the lyfe which he hath giuen vs by the spirite of his sonne is farre gretter than is this deth and therfore it can nat harme vs. Whiche is a greate assuraunce to a mannes conscyence for whan he beleueth surely in Jesu Christ he is assured and certifyed that Jesu Christ is in him therfore he can be afrayde of nothynge seynge that Jesu Christ is puysaunt mighty whiche hath vaynquysshed the worlde all power contrary vnto the soule in the which he dwelleth by his holy spyryte so that nothynge can ceperate him from his souerayne welth whiche is Jesu Christ which coÌ„forteth him with his holy promyses
which euery faythfull ought to haue contynually before him And by this menes is the soule delyuered from the gret quakyng tremblyng that he was in before the gospell was preseÌ„ted vnto him which drede the law brought him vnto shewynge him that he had deserued dampnacyon in the brekynge therof But whan he hereth those same glad tydiÌ„ges he hath an inwarde ioye in himselfe whiche no herte of man can thinke without that he haue proued it For the more harder the condemnation is the more sharpe the dethe is that foloweth it from the more greuousnesse that he is delyuered brought to this blessednes and lyfe which he neuer loked for the more is his ioye gret And therfore the soule consyderinge the excedyng goodnes that the endles mercy that the father of heuen hath done for him in gyuyng his son for him ponderiÌ„ge also the most inestimable swetnesse of the most benige Jesus who hath spent shed his blode for him takiÌ„g vpon him all his siÌ„nes cancellyng and makyng voyde the oblygacion of deth in the which he was bonde wasshynge him pure clene in his blode baptisynge him with the holy spirite the which of an ardent loue wolde vouchesafe to come downe dwell in his conscience for to direct it instructe it or corroborate it in fayth gyuyng him vnderstaÌ„dynge in the worde of god layeng al these great gyftes sondrie benefytes togyther conceyueth thorow the working of the holyghost a maruelous ardent loue toward god by the reason of the whiche he is set on fyre burneth in the meruelouse zele that he hath to the honour of god And whan he seeth that he can nat please god so highlye as he wolde do by the reason of the flesshe with his aduersarye vnto the spirite and that his worke be nothynge parfyte by the reason of his infirmite he mourneth in him selfe desyring to be delyuered froÌ„ his seruytute of corrupcyon of siÌ„ne but than is he brought in quyetnes by the holy spirit which prayeth for him with vnspeakable sighes that this empeshment or let may be taken away to the ende he maye fulfyll the wyll and the lawe of god without any gaynsay or contradycâ—yon And in all suche rekenynges â—he holyghost coÌ„forteth him so that at the laste he taketh all in gree paâ—yently takynge all his pleasure in god that in all temptacyons and trybulacions afflyctions that shal come to him For the holyghost sheweth him the promyses whiche are conteyned in holye scripture and so instructe seynge that it is the wyll of god that he shuld be so vexed he reioyseth in all his teÌ„ptacions all his troubles be lyght swete vnto him Howbeit there is one temptation which is more gret more horryble than all other that is whan we be persecuted on al sydes whaÌ„ the lorde withdraweth his consolation and confort from vs as though he were angrye agaynste vs for to proue tast our fayth and confydence that we haue in the goodnesse of god for whaÌ„ our lorde doth comforte vs we fele him to be present we set lyght of all our trybulacioÌ„s be it losse of goodes of chyldren of wyfe of husbande of lyfe or of all honoure or whatsoeuer it be But whaÌ„ we ê‘â—eyue nat him to be nygh vs whaÌ„ he absenteth himselfe to our semynge to the profe of our fayth than we lackyng him lacke all goodnes full of synne wretchednes se our self abhorred by the reason of our fylthynes se all thinge agaynst vs se hell open to deuour swalow vs vp as the forsaken of god In this maruelous teÌ„ptacion it is but a foly to roÌ„ne for socour to our good workes for the best of theÌ„ do but coÌ„demne vs. For all the good dedes that come of our selfe be but fylthines abhominacion before god and as a cloth defyled contamynate with the floures of a woman In such a teÌ„ptacion there is no remedy but fayth that is to haue full coÌ„fydence trust in the promyses of god as be these He that beleueth iÌ„ me shall nat taste euerlastiÌ„ge deth Nothinge is impossyble to hiÌ„ that beleueth Al they that call on the name of the lorde shal be saued And accordynge to your fayth be it vnto you And many other of which holy scripture is full ¶ Such promyses as promyse vs lyfe delyueraunce from our euyls â—e called euangelique be the veâ—y gospell or glad tydynges whiche saueth that whiche the lawe dampâ—eth which quyteth whan the law condempneth vnto the deth so that â—elefe be gyuen therto And the soule also hath another thiÌ„ge which may assure him that is that our helthe â—s nat in our handes for if it were we shuld haue lost it within a whyle but in the hande of god oute of whose hande no power can take it and also that we be the shepe of christ which can nat be rauysshed oute of his hande for as him selfe saythe No parson shall take theÌ„ away nor bereue me of theÌ„ And this must we beleue surely that he came to saue synners in as moch as we be synners he is com to saue vs the more that the soule perceyueth hiÌ„ selfe opprest with gret horrible synnes so moch the more to haue confydeÌ„ce in the deth of our sauyour whiche satisfyed for al the syn of the world leuynge to haue any truste in hys good workes but only to haue confydence in the greate goodnesse of god which he declared habundantlye in the passyon and dethe of his soÌ„ne For if by workes a maÌ„ might accomplyssh fulfyl the law christ suffred deth in vayne Wherfore on Jesus only must we set all our confydence Now we must nat bicause Christ is come to saue synners to helpe theÌ„ that be diseased We must nat therefore synne styll to the ende that he shulde saue vs styll for we haue done to moche alredye synne euery day synne euery houre sore for there is nat so rightuouse a man but he synneth at the lest seuen tymes a day but those same sinnes of the rightuouse man be nat imputed vnto him bycause that the spirit of god is within him for they be nat in him for as touchyng the inwarde man and in that that he hath the spirit he synneth nat For the fayth contynueth hole and parfeyte in the spiryt which faith hath put awaye the hole body of synne so that synne â—â—ygneth nat in vs bycause we be made newe creatures though now and than by the reason of our wekenesse we do synne yet this synne is nat imputed bycause of the stryfe that we haue agaiÌ„st it And for this cause must we humble our selfe before god knowlege our selfe to be siÌ„ners also haue a sure belefe that our synnes be forgiuen vs euyn as we be assured by the infallyble promyses of god for as moch as we beleue so moch receyue we of god as he sayde Accordyng to your faith so be it to you