W.T. vnto the Reader
W. T. vnto the Reader for the edifienge of the vnitie of the fayth of christ, that whosoeuer will, shall by his awne auctorite, take another mannes translacion and put oute and in and chaunge at pleasure, and call it a correccion.
Moreover, ye shall vnderstonde that George Ioye hath had of a longe tyme (s) marvelouse ymaginacions aboute this worde resurreccion, that it shuld be taken for the state of the soules after their departinge from their bodyes, and hath also
(though he hath been reasoned with therof and desyred to cease) yet sowen his doctryne by secret lettres on that syde the see, and caused great division amonge the brethren. In so moche that Iohn Fryth beynge in preson in the toure of (10) London, a lytle before his death, wrote that we shuld warne him and desyer him to cease, and wolde have then wrytten agaynst him, had I not withstonde him. Therto I have been sence informed that no small nomber thorow his curiosite, vtterly denye the resurreccion of the flesshe and bodye, affirminge that the soule when she is departed, is the spirituall bodye of the resurfeccion, and (1s) 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 the hole occasion, whether he be of the sayde faccion also, or not, to that let him answer him selfe.
(20) If George Ioye wyll saye (as I wot well he will) that his chaunge, is the sence and meaninge of those scriptures. I answer it is soner sayde then proved: howbeit let other men iudge. But though it were the 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, and to put oute the wordes of (25) thetext at his pleasure and 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, when Christ sayeth Io. v. The tyme shall come in the which all that are in the graves shall heare his voyce and shall come forth: they that have done
(30) good vnto resurreccion of lyfe, or with the resurreccion of lyfe, and they have done evell, vnto the recciont or with the resurreccion of damnacion. George
Ioyes correccion is, they that have done good shall come forth into the verie lyfe, and they that have done evell into the life of damnacion, thrustinge cleane oute this worde resurreccion. Now by the same auctorite, and with as good
(35) reason shall another come and saye of the rest of the text, they that are in the sepulchres, shall heare his voyce, that the sence is, the soules of them that are in the sepulchres shall heare his voyce, and so put in his diligent correccion and mocke oute the text, that it shall not make for the resurreccion of the fleshe,
W. T. vnto the Reader which thinge also George Ioyes correccion both manyfestlye affirme. If the text be lefte vncorrupt, it will purge 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 and correct, wherewith then shall
(s) we correcte false doctrine and defende Christes flocke from false opinions, and from the wycked heresyes of raveninge of wolves? In my mynde therfore a lytle vnfayned love after the rules of Christ, is worth moche hie learninge, and single and sleyght vnderstondinge that edifieth in unitie, is moche better then sotle curiosite, and mekenes better then bolde arrogancye and stondynge over (to) moche in a mannes awne consayte.
Wherfore, concernynge the resurreccion, I protest before god and oure savioure Iesus Christ, and before the universall congregacion that beleveth in him, that I beleve accordynge to the open and manyfest scriptures and catholyck fayth, that Christ is rysen agayne in the flesshe which he receaved of his
(ts) mother the blessed virgin marie, and bodye wherin he dyed. And that we shall all both good and bad ryse both flesshe and bodye, and apere together before the iudgement seat of christ, to receave every man accordynge to his dedes.
And that the bodyes of allthat beleve and contynew in the true fayth of christ, (20) shalbe endewed with lyke immortalyte and gloriit as is the bodye of christ
And I protest before God and oure savioure Christ and all that beleve in him, that I holde of the soules that are departed as moche as maye be proved by manifest and open scripture, and thinke the soules departed in the fayth of Christ and love of the lawe of God, to be in no worse case then the soule of Christ was
(2s) from the tyme that he delivered his sprite into the handes of his father, vntyll the resurreccion of his bodye in glorie and immortalite. Neverthelater, I confesse openly, that I am not persuaded that 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 resurreccion of the (30) 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 open textes that seme to make for that 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 the scripture
(3s) the pryvat interpretacion of any mannes brayne, without open testimony of eny scriptures agreinge thereto.
Moreover I take God (which alone seeth the heart) to recorde to my conscience, besechinge him that my parte be not in the bloude of Christ, if I wrote
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W. T. to the Reader of all that I have wrytten thorow oute all my boke, ought of an evell purpose, of envie or malice to anye man, 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 that is borne,
(s)save onlye of pitie and compassion I had and yet have on the blindnes of my brethren, and to bringe them vnto the knowledge of Christ and to make every one of them if it were possible as perfect as an angell of heaven, and to wede oute all that is not planted of oure hevenly father, and to bringe doune all that lyfteth vp it selfe agaynst the knowledge of the salvacion that is in the bloude of Christ.
(ro) Also, my parte be not in Christ, if myne heart be not to folowe and lyve accordinge as I teache, and also if myne heart wepe not nyght and daye for myne awne synne and other mennes indifferentlye, besechinge God to convert vs all, and to take his wrath from vs, and 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 (ts) 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, and (20) if in anye place the worde of god dysalow it, there to refuse it, as I do before oure savyour Christ and 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 openly agaynst it and improve it, and I promyse them, if I shall perceave that there reasons conclude I will confesse myne ignoraunce openly.
(2s) Wherfore I beseche George Ioye, ye and all other to, for to translate the scripture for them selves, whether oute of Greke, Latyn or Hebrue. Or (if they wyll nedes) as the foxe when he hath pyssed in the grayes hole chalengeth it for his awne, so let them take my translacions and laboures, and chaunge and alter, and correcte and corrupte at their pleasures, and call it their awne trans- (30) lacions, and put to their awne names, and not to playe boo pepe after George
Ioyes maner. Which whether he have done faythfully and truly, with soche reverence and feare as becommeth the worde of God, and with soche love and mekenes and affeccion to unite and circumspexcion that the vngodlye have no occasion to rayle on the verite, as becommeth the servauntes of Christ. I referre
(35)it to the iudgementes of them that knowe and love the trouth. For this, I protest that I provoke not Joye ner any other man (but am prouoked and that after the spytfullest maner of provokinge) to do sore agaynst my will and with sorow of harte that Inow do. But I nether can ner will soffre of anye man, that
W. T. to the Reader he shall goo take my translacion and correct it without name, and 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 geven me for my laboure.
Finally that new Testament thus dyligently corrected, besyde this so ofte (s) puttinge oute this worde resurreccion, and I wote not what other chaunge, 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.
Which tytle (reader) I have here put in because by des thou shalt knowe the booke the better.
Vale.
Che Newe Testament, imprinted at Anwerp by Marten Emperowr Anno. M.D. XX XIIII.
br iggratrt rears aR Es