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¶ A prologe to the Epistle of Paule to the Romayns.
FOr as moche as this pistle is the principall and most excel∣lent part of the new etestam••t / and most pure Euangelion / that is to saye gladde tydinges & that we call gospell / & also a lyghte & a waye in vnto the ho¦le scripture / I thynke it mete / that euery Christen man not only knowe it by rote and with oute the boke / but also exercise him selfe therin euermore continually / as with the dayly brede of the soule. No man verely can rede it to ofte or studie it to well: for the moare it is studyed the easier it is / the moare it is chewed the plesander it is / and the moare groundely it is serched the precio set thinges are found in it / so greate treasure of spirituall thinges lyeth hyd therin.
I will therfore bestowe my laboure and dili∣gence / thorowe this lytell preface or prologe / to prepare awaye in ther vnto / so farforth as god shall geue me grace / that it maye be the bet¦ter vnderstonde of euery man / for it hath bene hetherto euyll darkened with gloses & wonder full dreames of sophisters / that noman cowde spye oute the entente & meanynge of it / which neuerthelesse of it selfe / is a bryght lyghte / & sufficient to geue lyght vnto all the scripture.
Fyrst we must marke diligently the maner of speakynge of the Apostel / and aboue all thinge knowe what Paul meaneth by these wordes / * 1.1 the Lawe / Synne / Grace / Fayth / Ryghteous∣nes / Flesshe / Sprite and soche lyke / or els rede thou it neuer so ofte / thou shalt but loose thy laboure. This word Lawe maye not be vnder∣stonde here after the cōmune maner / and to vse Paules terme / after the maner of men or after