Introduction
Pathway into the Scriptures
Introduction
I do marvel greatly, dearly beloved in Christ, that ever any man should repugn13 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 shown to them that walk in darkness, where they cannot but stumble, and where to stumble is the danger of eternal damnation. [He is] either so despiteful14 that he would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing, or so Bedlam15 mad to affirm that good is the natural cause of evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, and that lying should be grounded in truth and verity, and not rather clean contrary, that light destroys darkness, and verity reproves all manner [of] lying.
Nevertheless, seeing that it has 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 you should be deceived of no man—I supposed it very necessary to prepare this pathway into the scripture for you, that you 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 you well understand what these words mean: 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 belongs 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.