A path way i[n]to the holy scripture

¶ But when a man knoweth his own filthiness & abomination / & seeth that he is condemned righteously to everlasting death / than cometh the gospel / which is to say glad tidings in use & is presented unto him which saith: Thou wretched these which wouldest have deprived god ⟨image 36⟩of his Godhead / & wouldest have ben thine own god through thy pride: Thou wretched & desperate caitiff which after the just judgment of god haddest deserved to be hanged on the gallows of hell / which hast the halter about thy neck / that is to say / thy will / thy flesh & thy lusts / which be lords over the by reason that the spirit of god ruleth not in thee. The most mercy full god hath sent the thy pardon / and will not that this judgment be executed / but that thou be quite and have thy life / & be delivered from the hands of the devil of hell / which was thy hang man / whom thou diddest serve and work to. And he hath not alonely rid the from death and made the his servant / but also granteth the to be his son and inheritor with our sweet saviour Jesus / which is become thy brother / & whom the ⟨image 37⟩father of his infinite goodness and kindness (not for because of thy good deeds which hast done never but evil) hath given for the / to make full satis faction for all thy evil deeds / so that thou believe that he dyed for thy sin & rose again to justify the / which desireth none other thing but to save that the which was lost / that is to say sinners / which through their own deservings were in the way of damnation. And wham the conscience which was before full of great dread / hereth this good tidings (if god give them the grace to give credence thereto & believe them) than they be certain / by the reason of this faith / that they be pardoned of all their offences / through the death and passion of Jesus Christ. Than conceive they a great joy / mirth & in ward rejoicing in them self. And our merciful lord in giving us ⟨image 37⟩this faith giveth us also his spirit the which maketh us the very children of god through faith / & the very members of the body of Jesus christ / & we be in all things always conducted & direct by this holy spirit of god / for otherwise could we not be the children of god / for they only be the children of god / which be led by the spirit of god.