A14133:212
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.
Christ here destroyeth not prayer, fasting, and alms deed. But preacheth against the false purpose and intent of such works and perverting the true use / that is to say / their seeking of glory / and that they esteemed them selves righteous thereby and better then other ⟨p. lx⟩men, and so despised and condemned their brethren. with our alms which is as much to say as deeds of mercy or compassion / we ought to seek our fathers glory only, even the wealth of our brethren and to win them to the knowledge of our father and keeping of his law. He that seeketh the glory of his good works, seeketh the glory that belongeth to God / and maketh him self God. Is it not a blind thing of the world / that either they will do no good works at all / or will be God for their good works and have the glory them selves.
Christ here destroyeth not prayer, fastynge, and almose dede. But preacheth agaynste the false purpose and entent of suche workes and peruertynge the true vse / that is to saye / theyr sekynge of glorye / and that they estemed them selues righteouse therby and better then other ⟨p. lx⟩men, and so despysed and condempned theyr brethren. with our almose which is as moch to say as dedes of mercye or cōpassyon / we ought to seke our fathers glory onely, euen the welth of our brethren and to wyn them to the knowledge of our father and kepynge of hys lawe. He that seketh the glorye of hys good workes, seketh the glorye that belongeth to God / and maketh hym selfe God. Is it not a blynd thyng of the world / that eyther they wyl do no good workes at all / or wyll be God for theyr good workes and haue the glorye them selues.
Concerning blowing of trumpets and ringing of belles or making a cry / 1to call men to fetch alms (though the right way be, that we should know in every parish all our pore and had a common coffer for them / & that strangers should bring a letter of recommendation with them of their necessity / and that we had a common place to receive them in to for the time / and though also we ought to flee all occasions of vain glory) yet while the world is out of order / it is not damnable to do it. So that the very meaning / both that we blow no trumpets and that the left hand know not what the right hand doth, is that we do as secretly as we can / and in no wise seek glory / or to receive it / if it were proffered. But to do our deeds in singleness of conscience to God / because it is his commandment /