The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…

Here Christ beginneth, not to destroy ¹the law (as the Pharisees had falsely accused him) but t• restore i• again to the right understanding, and to purge it from the glosses of the Pharisees. He that slayeth shall be guilty or in danger: of judgement: that is to say, if a man murder, his deed testifieth against him: there is no more to do, then to pronounce sentence of death against him. This text did the Pharisees ²extend no further than to kill with the hand and outward members. But hate, envy, malice, churlishness, and to withdraw help at need, to beguile and circumvent with wiles and subtle bargaining, was no sin at all. No, to bring him whom thou haredst to death with craft and falsehood, so thou diddest not put thine hand thereto, was no sin at all. As when they had brought Christ to death wrongfully, & compelled Pilate with subtleties to slay him, they thought themselves pure. In so much that they would not go into the hall for defiling themselves & being partakers with Pilate in his blood. And Act. v. they said to the Apostles: ye would bring this mans blood upon us, as who would say, we slue him not. And Saul in the first book of the Kings in the xviij. chap. being so wroth with David, that he would gladly have had him slain, determined yet that he would not defile himself, b•t to thrust him into the hands of the Philistines, that they might slay him, and he himself abide pure.

Here Christ beginneth, not to destroy ¹the lawe (as the Phariseys had falsely accused hym) but t• restore i• agayne to the right vnderstanding, and to purge it frō the gloses of the Phariseys. He that slayeth shalbe giltie or in daunge: of iudgemēt: that is to say, if a man murther, his deede testifieth agaynst hym: there is no more to do, then to pronounce sentence of death agaynst hym. This text did the Phariseys ²