A14133:168
An exposition upon the v.vi.vii. chapters of Matthew which three chapters are the key…An exposycyon vpon the v.vi.vii. chapters of Mathewe which thre chapters are the keye…
An exposition upon the v.vi.vii. chapters of Matthew which three chapters are the key and the door of the scripture, and the restoring again of Moses law corrupt by the scribes and pharisees. And the exposition is the restoring again of Christs law corrupt by the Papists. Item before the book, thou hast a prologue very necessary, containing the whole sum of the covenant made between God and us, upon which we be baptised to keep it. And after thou haste a table that leadeth the by the notes in the margents, unto all that is entreated of in the book.An exposycyon vpon the v.vi.vii. chapters of Mathewe which thre chapters are the keye and the dore of the scrypture, and the restoring agayne of Moses lawe corrupt by ye scrybes and pharyses. And the exposycyon is the restorynge agayne of Chrystes lawe corrupte by the Papystes. Item before the boke, thou hast a prologe very necessary, conteynynge the whole sum of the couenaunt made betwene God and vs, vpon whiche we be baptysed to kepe it. And after thou haste a table that ledeth the by the notes in the margentes, vnto al that is intreated of in the booke.
London? : R. Redman, 1536?
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But Christ bringeth light and salt to the text which the pharisees had darkened and corrupt with the stinking mist of their sophistry,1 and forbiddeth to swear at all▪ either by God or any creature of God's, for thou canst swear by none oath at all, except the dishonour shall redound unto the name of God. If thou swear, by God it is so, or by God I will do this or that, the meaning is, that thou makest God judge, to avenge it of thee, if it be not as thou sayest, or if thou shalt not do as thou promisest. Now if truth be not in thy words thou shamest thine heavenly father, and testifyest that thou believest that he is no righteous judge nor will avenge unrighteousness / but that he is wicked as thou art and consenteth and laugheth at the / while thou deceivest thy ⟨p. xlv⟩brother, aswell created after the likeness of God and so dear bought with the precious blood of Christ as thou. And thus through the a wicked son is the name of thy father dishonoured, and his law not feared nor his promises believed. And when thou swearest by the gospel book or bible, the meaning is, that God if thou lye. shall not fulfil unto thee, the promises of mercy therein written. But contrary wise to bring up on the all the curses / plagues / and vengeance therein threatened unto the disobedient and evil doers. And even so when thou swearest by any creature, as by bread or salt. the meaning is, that thou desirest / that the creator thereof shall avenge it of thee, if thou lye. &c̄. wherefore our dealing ought to be so substantial that our words might be believed without an oath. Our words are the signs of the truth of our hearts, in which ought to be pure and single love toward thy brother, for what so ever proceedeth not of love is damnable. Now falsehood to deceive him and pure love can not stand together. It can not therefore be but damnable sin to deceive thy brother with lying, though thou add no oath to thy words. Much more damnable is it then to deceive and to add an oath thereto. &c̄.
But Chryste bryngeth lyght and salt to the texte whiche the phareseys had darkened and corrupte with the stynkyngemyste of theyr sophystry,1 and forbyddeth to swere at all▪ eyther by God or any creature of Goddes, for thou canst swere by none othe at al, excepte the dyshonoure shal redowne vnto the name of God. If thou swere, by God it is so, or by God I wyl do this or that, the meanynge is, that thou makest God iudge, to auenge it of the, yf it be not as thou sayest, or yf thou shalte not do as thou promysest. Nowe if truth be not in thy wordes thou shameste thyne heuenlye father, and testyfyest that thou beleuest that he is no ryghtwyse iudge nor wyll aduenge vnryghtwysnes / but that he is wycked as thou arte and consenteth and laugheth at the / whyle thou deceyuest thy