Whole Works, Tract 1
¶ A Proteſtation made by William Tyndall, touchyng 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 before 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 Mary, and body wherein he died. And that we ſhall all both good and bad, riſe both fleſh and body, and appeare togither before the iudgement ſeat of Chriſt, to receaue eueryevery 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 & louelove 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 reſurrection 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. Notwithſtanding 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, beſéechyng hym that my parte be not in the bloud of Chriſt, if I wrote of all that I hauehave 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 author 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 onelyonly of pitie and compaſſion I had, and yet hauehave, on the blyndnes of my brethren, and to brynge them vntounto the knowledge of Chriſt, and to make eueryevery one of them, if it were poſſible, as perfect as an Angell of heauen: 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 other mens indifferently, beſéeching God to conuert vsus all, and to take his wrath from vsus, 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 tender harted mother woulde doe for her onelyonly ſonne.
As concerning all I hauehave 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 openly agaynſt it and improoue it: and I promiſe them, if I ſhall perceaue that their reaſons conclude, I wyll confeſſe myne ignoraunce openly.