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.

[ iii.] Blessed are the meke, for they shall enheryte the erthe.

* 1.1By the erthe vnderstande all that we posses∣se in thys world, whiche al god wyl kepe for vs yf we be softe and meke. And what so euer trou∣ble arise, yet if we wylbe pacient and abyde, the ende wyll go on our syde, as it is wrytten in the xxxvi. Psal. the wycked shalbe weded out, but they that abyde the lordes layser, shall enhe∣rete the erthe. And agayne, with in a whyle the wicked shalbe gone, thou shalt behold the place where he was and he shalbe away / but the meke or softe shal enheryte the erthe. Euen as we say / be styl and haue thy wyl / and of lytle medlynge cometh moche reste / for a pacyent man shal were out all hys enemyes.

It is impossyble to dwelle in any place where no dylplesure shoulde be done the▪ If it be done vnwyllyngly / as when thy neyghbours be∣astes breke into thy corne by some chaunce a∣gaynste hys wyll. then it is reason that thou be softe and forgeue. If it be done of malyce and selffe wyll / then with reuengynge thou doest but with poderynge in the fyere make the flame gre∣ter / and geuest an occasyon of more euell to be done the. If any man rayle on the and re∣buke the / answere not agayne / and the hete of hys malyce shal dye in it selfe and goo out ym∣medyatly / as fyer dothe when no more wode

is layde theron. If the wronge that is done / be greater then thou arte able to beare / truste in God and complayne with all mekenes vnto the offycer that is set of God to forbyd suche vy∣olence, And yf the gentylmen that dwelle about the / be tyrauntes / be ready to helpe to fet home theyr wode / to plowe theyr lande / to brynge in theyr heruest and so forthe / and let thy wyfe vyset my Ladye nowe and then with a cople of hennes or a fat capon and suche lyke / and then thou shalt possesse al the remmanaunt in reste•• or els one quarel or other may be pycked to the, to make the quyte of all togyther.

Chose whether thou wylte with softnes and sofferynge haue God on thy syde / euer to saue the and to gyue the euer ynoughe / and to haue a good conscience and peace on the erthe / or with furyousnesse and ympacyency to haue God a∣gaynste the and to be polled a lytle and lytle of altogether / and to haue an euell conscyence and neuer reste on the erthe, and to haue thy dayes shortened therto, God hathe promysed if thou he meke and soft, and soffer a lytle persecucyon to geue the not onely the lyfe to come / * 1.2 but also an hundred folde here in this lyfe, that is to say to geue the hys owne selfe and to be thy protec∣tor and to minyster the euer ynough, whiche may of right be called an hundred folde, and that is a treasure passynge the treasure of al prynces.

Fynally Chryste teacheth here howe euery man muste lyue for hym selfe amonge them to whom he is a neyghboure / * 1.3 and in pryuat mat∣ters

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in whiche he is but as a neyboure (thoughe he be a kynge) and in whiche thou canste not be to softe But and yf thou be an offycer / * 1.4 then thou must be good, kynde and mercyful, but not a mylkesoppe and neegligent, As to whom thou art a father, them muste thou rule and make obay and that with sharpenes. if softenes wyll not be harde, and so in all other offyces.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mekenes possesseth the erthe.
• * 1.2

  Hundred folde.
• * 1.3

  The pryuat person.
• * 1.4

  may not aduenge But the offi¦cer muste.