A14133:206
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.
Take heed to your alms / that ye do it not before men / to be seen of them / or else ye get no reward of your father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou givest alms / make not a trumpet to be blown before thee / as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets / to be praised of men. Verily I say unto you / they have their reward. But thou when thou givest alms / let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth / that thine alms may be in secrete. And then thy father which seeth in secrete / shall reward the openly.
TAke hede to your almose / that ye do it not before men / to be sene of them / or els ye get no rewarde of youre father which is in heuen. Therfore when thou gyueste almose / make not a trompet to be blowen before the / as the ypocrytes do in the synagoges and in the streates / to be praysed of men. Verely I say vnto you / they haue theyr rewarde. But thou when thou gyuest almose / let not thy lefte hande knowe what thy ryght hāde doth / that thyne almose may be in secrete. And then thy father whiche seeth in secrete / shal rewarde the openly.
As he rebuked their doctrine above, even so here he rebuketh their works, for out of devilish doctrine can spring no godly works. But what works rebuketh he? Verily such as God in the scripture commandeth, and without which no man can be a christen man / even prayer fasting and alms deed. For as the scripture corrupt with glosses, is no more God's word, even so the deeds commanded in the scripture (when the intent of them is perverted) are no more godly deeds. what said the scribes and pharisees of him (think ye) when he rebuked such manner of works? No doubt as they said (when he rebuked their false glosses) how he destroyed the law and the prophets, interpreting the scripture after the literal sense which killeth, and after his own brain, clean contrary to the commune faith of the holy church and minds of great clerks and authentic expositions of old holy doctors. Even so here what other could they say, then. Behold the heretic and did not we tell you before whereto he would come, and that he kept some mischief behind and spued not out all his venom at once, see to what all his godly new doctrine that sounded so sweetly, is come? he preached all of love, and would have the people saved by faith / so long till it now at the last, he preached clean against all deeds of mercy, as prayer / fasting and alms deed, and destroyeth all good works. His disciples fast no more then d […]