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caused half England to be slain up, and brought the realm into such ruin and desolation that M. More could say, in his Utopia, that as Englishmen were wont to eat sheep, even so their sheep now eat up them by whole parishes at once, besides other inconveniences that he then saw. And so the hypocrites say now likewise, that God's word causeth insurrection: but ye shall see shortly that these hypocrites themselves, after their old wont and examples, in quenching the truth that uttereth their juggling, shall cause all realms christian to rise one against another, and some against themselves. Ye shall see them run out, before the year come about, that which they have been in brewing (as I have marked) above this dozen years, &c.]

This much I have said because of them that deceive you, to give you an occasion to judge the spirits.

popish clergy with what he accounted the guilt of deposing Richard II., and of transferring the crown to the house of Lancaster, when the hereditary right had devolved to the house of York.]

15

[TYNDALE, II.]

NOTES OR GLOSSES

ON

SAINT MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.

A.D. 1525.

[INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

HAVING arrived at the end of all that is known to be extant of Tyndale's expositions, our promised course leads us to his notes on scripture, of which we can present our readers with no more than those he composed for the margins of his intended first edition of the New Testament in English. It has been already mentioned (Vol. 1. p. 3), that the prologue prefixed to that edition was the first address from an English reformer, printed by himself for the edification of our forefathers; and the following notes, originally called glosses, and reprobated under that name by the Romanists (Vol. 1. pp. xxiii, xxvi.) are, in like manner, the first approach to a running comment upon the text of scripture ever printed in the English tongue. They were copied by the present editor from that fragment of the first sheets struck off by Tyndale, of which an account was given in Vol. 1. pp. 4, 5; and where the fragment terminates, our knowledge of them ceases.]

MARGINAL NOTES

ON THE FIRST TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS OF

ST MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.

CHAPTER I.

Abraham and David are first rehearsed, because that Christ ver. 1. was chiefly promised unto them.

St Matthew leaveth out certain generations, and describeth ver. 6. Christ's lineage from Solomon, after the law of Moses. But Lucas describeth it according to nature, from Nathan, Solomon's brother. For the law calleth them a man's children, which his brother begat of his wife left behind him after his death. Deut. xxv.

That is to say, by the working and power of the Holy Ghost.

ver. 18.

That is, he would not put her to open shame, as he well ver. 19. might have done by the law. Also Matthew rejoiceth of the goodness of Joseph, which, for love's sake, did remit of his right.

Jesus is as much to say as a Saviour; for he only saveth ver. 21. all men from their sins by his merits, without their deserving. Christ bringeth God: where Christ is, there is God; and ver. 23. where Christ is not, there is not God.

Ye shall not suppose that he knew her afterward. But ver. 25. it is the manner of the scripture so to speak. Gen. viii. "The raven came not again till the water was drunk up, and the earth dry." The scripture meaneth not, he came again afterward: even so here, it followeth not that Joseph knew our lady1 afterward.

CHAPTER II.

Of Matthew they are called Magi; and in certain countries ver. 1. in the east philosophers, cunning in natural causes and effects, and also the priests, were so called.

Jewry is the land; Judah is that tribe or kindred that ver. 6. dwelt therein.

[1 In the notes to Tyndale's Test. of 1538, of which there is a copy in the Bapt. Coll. Museum, Bristol, Mary is substituted for our lady.]

ver. 18.

ver. 4.

ver. 9.

ver. 15.

ver. 5.

ver. 11.

ver. 13,

Rachael was buried not far from Bethlehem; and the prophet signifieth that as she mourned her son Benjamin, in whose birth she died, so should the mothers of those children mourn. And here may we see how it goeth alway with the right christian men before the world, for the faith's sake which they have in Christ; notwithstanding they are wonderfully maintained and defended alway of God against all power of hell.

CHAPTER III.

Locusts are more than our grasshoppers; and such men used to eat in divers parts of the east.

Put your trust in God's word only, and not in Abraham. Let saints be an ensample unto you, and not your trust and confidence: for then ye make Christ of them.

All righteousness is fulfilled when we forsake all our own righteousness, that God only may be counted he which is righteous, and maketh righteous through faith. This doth John, in that he putteth from him his own righteousness, and would be washed of Christ and made righteous. This also doth Christ, in that he taketh not righteousness and honour on him; but suffereth himself to be baptized and killed: for baptism is none other thing than death.

CHAPTER IV.

CHAPTER V.

The world thinketh to possess the earth, and to defend their own, when they use violence and power; but Christ teacheth that the world must be possessed with meekness only, and without power and violence.

All these deeds here rehearsed, as to nourish peace, to shew mercy, to suffer persecution, and so forth, make not a man happy and blessed; neither deserveth he reward of heaven; but declare and testify that we are happy and blessed, and that we shall have great promotion in heaven; and certify us in our breasts that we are God's sons, and that the Holy Ghost is in us: for all good things are given to us freely of God, for Christ's blood sake and his merits.

When the preachers cease to preach God's word, then

[1 That is, greater.]

must they needs be oppressed, and trod under foot, with man's traditions.

Jot is as much to say as the least letter; for so is the ver. 18. least letter, that the Greeks or Hebrews have, called.

First clause.

This do they which say that these, Christ's command- ver. 19. ments, are not commandments but counsels.

"Called the least;" that is to say, shall be little set by and despised.

"Called great;" that is to say, shall be much set by and had in reverence.

The goodness of the Pharisees standeth in outward works ver. 20. and appearance; but Christ requireth goodness of the heart.

Racha is the hoarse sound in the throat; and betokeneth ver. 22. all signs of wrath.

To pluck out spiritually is here commanded; that is, ver. 29. when the eyes' lust is put away, and killed in the heart.

All swearing and oaths, which a man of himself doth, ver. 34. are here forbidden. Nevertheless when love, need, thy neighbour's profit, or God's honour requireth it, then is it well done to swear; like as wrath is forbidden, and yet is laudable when it proceedeth of love, to honour God withal.

No man should avenge himself, or seek wreak, no, not by the law. But the ruler, which hath the sword, should do such things of himself; or when the neighbours, of love, warn him and require him.

ver. 39.

Publicans gathered rents, toll, custom, and tribute; and were ver. 46. commonly heathen men, thereunto appointed of the Romans.

CHAPTER VI.

Ye shall not think that our deeds deserve anything of ver. 4. God, as a labourer deserveth his hire. For all good things come of the bounteousness, liberality, mercy, promises, and truth of God, by the deserving of Christ's blood only; but it is a manner of speaking, as we say, 'Thy labour, or going was well rewarded,' unto him that hath but fett only the promises of another man.

The eye is single, when a man in all his deeds looketh ver. 22. but on the will of God, and looketh not for laud, honour, or any other reward in this world; neither ascribeth heaven, or a higher room in heaven, unto his deeds, but accepteth heaven

[2 Brought away, carried off.]

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