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¶ A Protestation made by William Tyndall, tou∣chyng the Resurrection of the bodyes, and the state of the soules after this life. Adstracted out of a Preface of his that he made to the new Testament, which he set forth in the yeare 1534.
COncernyug the resurrection, I proteste be∣fore God and our sauiour Iesus Christ, and before the vniuersall congregation that beléeueth in him, that I beléeue according to the opē and manifest Scriptures & Catholicke faith, that Christ is risen agayne in the flesh which he receaued of his mother the blessed virgine Ma∣ry, and body wherein he died. And that we shall all both good and bad, rise both flesh and body, and appeare togi∣ther before the iudgement seat of Christ, to receaue eue∣ry man according to his déedes. And that the bodies of all that beléeue and continue in the true faith of Christ, shalbe indewed with like immortalitie and glory, as is the body of Christ.
And I protest before God & our Sauiour Christ, and all that beléeue in hym, that I hold of the soules that are departed, as much as may bée prooued by manifest and open Scripture, and thinke the soules departed in the faith of Christ & loue of the lawe of God, to be in no worse case, then the soule of Christ was, from the tyme that he deliuered his spirite into the handes of his father, vntill the re∣surrection of his body in glory and immortalitie. Neuerthelesse, I confesse openly, that I am not perswaded that they be already in the full glory that Christ is in, or the elect Angels of God are in. Neither is it any article of my faith: for if it so were, I sée not but then the preaching of the resurrection of the flesh, were a thyng in vayne. Notwithstan∣ding yet I am ready to beleeue it, if it may be prooued with open Scripture.
Moreouer, I take God (which alone séeth the hart) to recorde to my conscience, be∣séechyng hym that my parte be not in the bloud of Christ, if I wrote of all that I haue written throughout all my booke, ought of an euill purpose, of enuie or malice to any man, or to stirre vp any false doctrine or opinion in the Church of Christ, or to be au∣thor of any secte, or to draw disciples after mée, or that I woulde be estéemed, or had in price aboue the least childe that is borne: saue onely of pitie and compassion I had, and yet haue, on the blyndnes of my brethren, and to brynge them vnto the knowledge of Christ, and to make euery one of them, if it were possible, as perfect as an Angell of hea∣uen: and to wéede out all that is not planted of our heauēly father, and to bring downe all that lifteth vp it selfe against the knowledge of the saluation that is in the bloude of Christ. Also, my parte be not in Christ, if myne hart be not to folow and liue according as I teach: and also if myne hart wéepe not night and day for myne owne sinne, and o∣ther mens indifferently, beséeching God to conuert vs all, and to take his wrath from vs, and to be mercifull as well to all other men, as to myne owne soule: caring for the wealth of the Realme I was borne in, for the king, and all that are thereof, as a ten∣der harted mother woulde doe for her onely sonne.
As concerning all I haue translated, or otherwise written, I beséeche all men to read it, for that purpose I wrote it: euen to bring them to the knowledge of the Scripture. And as farre as the scripture approoueth it, so farre to allowe it: and if in any place the worde of God dissalow it, there to refuse it, as I doe before our Sauiour Christ and his congregation. And where they finde faultes, let them shewe it mée, if they be nye, or write to mée if they bée farre of: or write open∣ly agaynst it and improoue it: and I promise them, if I shall perceaue that their reasons conclude, I wyll con∣fesse myne ignoraunce openly.