A14133:268
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.
If this fast be truly preached,1 then is fasting good / and not afore / for making of hypocrites / as Christ would not let his disciples fast before they were learned, lest they should thereby have ben no better then the pharisees. And then the outward fasting ordained by the temporal rulers helpeth much / for the weak's sake, yea & though the land were so plenteous that it need not to command such fast for to avoid dearth, yea they ought to set such up, because of them that can not rule them selves,2 for whose sakes they ought to forbid excesses of taverns and ale houses and rioting out of season. For if the people could rule them selves, what need rulers. More over if any man privately show the priest his infirmities / and the priests see any manner of abstinence or chastifyng apt for the person, that let him counsel him to do for the subduing of the flesh, and not command as a tyrant under pain of damnation and to make satisfaction. Thus wise let ⟨image 92⟩him say, brother or sister, ye be bound under pain of deadly sin to tame your flesh by some manner of way that ye sin not against God, and I know no better then this, my counsel and my desire therefore is, that ye use this till ether ye have no more need / or till God show you some better. &c. And let the elders consider diligently the course of their youth and with wisdom / counsel and discrete governance / and help the younger to avoid the perils and jeopardies which they have learned by their own, experience to be in that dangerous journey.
If this fast be truly preached,1 then is fastynge good / and not afore / for makynge of ypocrytes / as Christ wolde not let his disciples fast before they were lerned, leste they shulde thereby haue ben no better then the pharesyes. And then the outwarde fastynge ordeyned by the temporal rulers helpeth much / for the weakes sake, ye & though the lande were so plenteouse that it nede not to commaunde suche fast for to auoyde derth, ye they ought to set suche vp, because of them that can not rule them selues,2