A14133:210
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.
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• […] ⟨image 73⟩they despise their divine service and come not to church, yea and if the holyest of all saint Fraunces order axe them alms / they bid him labour with his hands and get his living, and say that he that laboureth not is not worthy to eat / and that God bade that no such strong labourers should loiter and go a begging and be chargeable to the congregation and eat up that other pore men get with the sweet of their bodies / yea and at the last ye shall see / if we resist him not be times / that he shall move the people to insurrection / as Caiaphas said / and the Romans shall come and take our land from us. As ye see in the text Luke 13.
As he rebuked theyr doctryne aboue, euen so here he rebuketh theyr workes, for out of deuelyshe doctryne can sprynge no godly workes. But what workes rebuketh he? Verelye such as God in the scrypture commaūdeth, and without whiche no man can be a chrysten man / euen prayer fastynge and almose dede. For as the scrypture corrupt with gloses, is no more Goddes worde, euen so the dedes cōmaunded in the scrypture (when the entent of them is peruerted) are no more godlye dedes. what sayde the scrybes and pharyseys of hym (thynke ye) when he rebuked suche maner of workes? No doute as they sayde (when he rebuked theyr false gloses) howe he destroyed the lawe and the prophetes, interpretyng the scripture after the lyterall sence whiche kylleth, and after hys owne brayne, cleane contrarye to the comune fayth of the holy chyrche and myndes of great clerkes and autentyke exposycions of olde holye doctoures. Euen so here what other coulde they saye, then. Beholde the heretyke and dyd not we tell you before wherto he wolde come, and that he kepte some myschefe behynde and spued not out all hys venome attonce, see to what al his godly newe doctryne that sounded so swetly, is come? he preached all of loue, and wolde haue the people saued by fayth / so longe tyl yt nowe at the last, he preached clene agaynst all dedes of mercy, as prayer / fastynge and almose dede, and destroyeth al good workes. Hys dyscyples faste no more then d