A14133:260
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 above of alms and prayer, even so here Christ rebuketh the false entente and hypocrisy of fasting. That they sought praise of that work that was ordained for to tame the flesh and used such fashions / that all the world might know that they fasted / to praise them and to say O what holy men are these / how pale and pitiful they look even like death / hanging down their heads and beholding the earth, as men clean out of the world? If these come not to heaven / what shall become of us poor wretches of the world? If these be not great in the favour of God, and their prayers hard what so ever they axe / in what case are we lay people? Happy is he that may be a brother among them and partaker of their prayers and fastings and other holy living, In an unhappy. In an happy (I would say) hour was he borne that buildeth them a sell or a cloister / or giveth them a portion of his land to comfort them good men, in this painful living / and strait penance ⟨p. lxxvi⟩which they have taken upon them. Blessed were he that might kiss the edge of the cote of one of them. Oh, he that might have his body wrapped in one of their old cotes at the hour of death, it were as good to him as his Christendom. &c. It appeareth also by that they axed Christ why his disciples fasted not as well as the pharisees, that they oft fasted when the common people fasted not & all appear holy. As ours fast advent, and begin before lent at Septuagesima / when. Laus tibi domine cometh in.
As aboue of almose and prayer, euen so here Chryste rebuketh the false entente and ypocrysye of fastyng. That they sought prayse of that worke that was ordeyned for to tame the flesh and vsed suche fassyons / that all the worlde myght knowe that they fasted / to prayse them and to saye O what holye men are these / howe pale and petyfull they loke euen lyke deathe / hangynge downe theyr hedes and beholdynge the erthe, as men clene out of the worlde? If these come not to heauen / what shall become of vs poore wretches of the worlde? If these be not greate in the fauoure of God, and theyr prayers harde what soo euer they axe / in what case are we laye people? Happy is he that may be a brother amonge them and partaker of theyr prayers and fastynges and other holye lyuynge, In an vnhappy. In an happy (I wolde saye) houre was he borne that buyldethe them a sell or a cloysture / or geueth them a porcyon of hys lande to comforte them good men, in thys paynefull lyuynge / and strayte penaunce ⟨p. lxxvi⟩