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.

Entre in at the strayte gate, for wyde is the gate and brode is the way that ledeth to distruccion, and many they be, that go in therat. But strayte is the gate, & narowe is the waye that leadeth vnto lyfe, and fewe they be that fynde it.

* 1.1The strayte gate is the true knowledge and vnderstandyng of the lawe and of the true en∣tent of workes, whiche who so euer vnderstan∣deth, the same shalbe dryuen to Christ to fetche of his fulnes and to take him for his ryghtwys¦nes and fulfyllynge of the law, al to gether at

the begynnynge and as ofte as we fall after∣warde, and for more then the thousande parte of our fulfyllynge of the lawe and ryghtwys∣nesse of our best workes al our lyfe longe. For except the ryghtwysnesse of Christe be knytte to the best dede we do, it wyll be to shorte to reache to heuen. ❧ / / ❧

And the narowe waye is to lyue after this knowledge▪* 1.2 He that wyll enter in at this gate must be made a newe, his heed wyll else be to great, he must be vntaught all that he hath ler∣ned, to be made lesse for to entre in, and disu∣sed in all thynges to which he hath ben accusto¦med to be made lesse to walke thorowe the na¦rowe way, where he shall fynde such an heape of temptacions and so continuall, that it shall be impossible to endure or to stande, but by prayer of stronge fayth. ❧ / ❧

And note a nother,* 1.3 that fewe fynde the waye why? for theyr owne wysdome, theyr owne power & the reasons of their owne sophistrye blynde them vtterly. That is to say, the lyght of theyr owne doctrine which is in them, is so extreme darcknesse that they can nat se. Shuld god let his church erre (say they) Shulde our elders haue gon out of the waye? Shulde God haue let y^e deuel do these myraclas & so forth. And whan Christ sayth / fewe shall fynde the gate, ye say they / in respecte of the turkes and saresyns whiche are the greater multitude. Ye but yet here a lytle / the Scrybes & Phareseys which had all the auctorite ouer the people &

taught out of the scripture, & the saduces with all other false prophetes that were whā Christ came, were no Turckes nor Saresyns, nether had God any other churche than was amonge them.* 1.4 And saynt Peter prophesyeth y^t it shal be so amonge vs, & that we shalbe drawen w^t false sectes of couetousnesse, to deny Christ, as we nowe do, and beleue no more in hym, And Paule & Christ cōfirme the same,* 1.5 that the elect shulde be deceyued, if it were possible. More∣ouer yf it were ynough to say. I wyll beleue & do as myne elders haue done, as though they could nat erre, then was Christ to blame for to saye, that excepte thou forsake father, mother and thyne elders, thou couldest nat be his disci¦ple, Christe must be thy master, & thou must be taught of God, and therfore oughtest thou to examine the doctrine of thyne elders by the worde of God, For the greate multitude that Christ meneth are the false prophetes & them y^t folow thē, as it shal better apere here after.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Strayte gate,
• * 1.2

  The na∣rowe way.
• * 1.3

  Few fynde the narowe way and why.
• * 1.4

  Peter.
• * 1.5

  Paule. Christe.