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.

Blessed are y^e peacemakers, for they [ vii.] shalbe called the chyldren of God.

To enheryte thys blyssynge,* 1.1 it is not only re∣quired that thou haue peace in thy selfe, and that thou take all to the beste, and be not offended lyghtly and for euery small tryfle, and all waye redye to forgeue, not sowe no dyscorde nor ad∣uenge thyne owne wronge. But also that thou be feruent and diligent to make peace and to go be¦twene. where thou knowest or herest malice & en∣uye to be, or seest bate or stryfe to aryse betwene person and persō, and that thou leue nothing vn∣sought, to set them at one.

And though Chryste here speke not of the temporall swerde, but techeth howe euerye man shal lyue for him selfe towarde his neyghboure / * 1.2 yet Prynces (yf they wyll be Goddes chyldren) muste not only geue no cause of warre nor begyn but also (thoughe he haue a iust cause) soffer hym selfe to be entreated, yf he that gaue the cause re∣pent, and muste also seke all wayes of peace be∣fore he fyght. Howe be it, when al is sought, and

nothynge wyll helpe, then he ought & is boūde to defende his lande and subiectes, and in so do∣ynge he is a pece maker, as wel as whē he causeth theues and murtherers to be punished for theyr euell doynge and brekynge of the comon peace of hys lande and subiectes.

If thou haue peace in thy selfe and louest the peace of thy brethern after this maner, so is god thorowe Chryste at peace with the, and thou hys beloued sonne and heyre also.

¶ Moreouer if the wrōge done to the, be greter then thou mayst beare, as when thou art a person not for thy selfe only. But in respecte of other, in what soeuer worldly degre it be, & hast an of∣fyce cōmytted the, then (when thou haste warned with al good maner him that dyd it, and none a∣mēdement wilbe had) kepe peace in thyne harte and loue him styl, and complayne to them that are set to reforme suche thynges, and so art thou yet a peace maker and styll the sonne of God, But yf thou aduenge thy selfe or desyreste more then that suche wronge be forboden, thou syn∣nest agaynst God,* 1.3 in takyng the auctoryte of god vpon the with out hys commaundement. God is father ouer all, and is of ryght Iudge ouer al hys chyldren, and to him only pertayneth all aduen∣gynge, who therfore without his cōmaundement aduengeth ether with harte or hande / the same dothe cast him selfe into the handes of the sword and loseth the ryght of hys cause.

And on the other syde, cursed be the peace breakes, picquarels, whysperers, backebyters

sowers of dyscorde, dyspraysers of them that he good to brynge them out of fauore, interpreters to euell that is done for a good purpose, fyn∣ders of faultes wher none is, sterers vp of princes to batayle and warre, & aboue al cursed be they that fasly bely the true prechers of goddes word to brynge them into hate, and to shede theyr bloude wrongfully for hate of the truth, For all suche are the chyldren of the deuel.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Peace ma••kyng wha••
• * 1.2

  Prynces what they ought to do yer they make war▪
• * 1.3

  ••engeaūce ••artayneth ••o God ••nely.