[INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

IN the advertisement prefixed to the first volume of this reprint of the writings of Tyndale, the editor announced the intention of arranging them in three classes, viz. doctrinal and hortatory treatises; helps to a right understanding of the scriptures, consisting of introductory prefaces, expositions, and notes upon the sacred text; and lastly his replies, and exposures of the adversaries of the Reformation.

The first volume has accordingly comprehended the whole of the first class, and of the introductory prefaces, or prologues, as Tyndale styled them. Proceeding, therefore, to the expositions, the present volume will commence with Tyndale's exposition of the Sermon on the mount, as coming first in the order of the scriptures, though not published till 1532, and consequently some months later than his exposition of the first epistle of St John1. For the following reprint, that of Day in 1573, the peculiar readings of which will be marked D., has been collated with a copy of the exposition in the archiepiscopal library at Lambeth, numbered 401 in Dr Maitland's account of rare books in that library, and of which he has said that it may be a specimen of the first edition. The readings of the Lambeth edition will be distinguished by the letter L.; and the marginal notes found in it will have the initials W. T. attached to them, to mark that Tyndale is to be held responsible for them alone, the other marginal notes being probably composed by Foxe, as editor for Day.]

[1 See Anderson's Annals, Vol. 1. § 8 and 9; and Biogr. Notice of Tyndale, pp. li. and lii.]

¶ AN EXPOSITION UPPON THE V. VI. VII.

CHAPTERS OF MATHEW,

WHICH THREE CHAPTERS ARE THE KEYE AND THE DORE OF THE SCRIPTURE,
AND THE RESTORING AGAYNE OF MOSES LAW CORRUPTE BY THE

SCRIBES AND PHARISES. AND THE EXPOSITION IS

THE RESTORING AGAYNE OF CHRISTES LAWE

CORRUPTE BY THE PAPISTES.

¶ Item before the booke, thou hast a Prologe very necessarie, contayning the whole summe of the couenaunt made betwene God and us, uppon which we be baptised to keepe it.

Set forth by William Tyndall2.

THE PROLOGUE.

wells of

is to open

plain the

which is the

God.

HERE hast thou, dear reader, an exposition upon the fifth, To dig the sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew, wherein Christ, our Abraham spiritual Isaac, diggeth again the wells of Abraham: which and make wells the scribes and Pharisees, those wicked and spiteful scripture, Philistines, had stopped and filled up with the earth of their kingdom of false expositions. He openeth the kingdom of heaven, which they had shut up that other men should not enter, as they themselves had no lust to go in. He restoreth the key of knowledge, which they had taken away, and broken the wards, with wresting the text, contrary to his due and natural course, with their false glosses. He plucketh away from the face of Moses the veil which the scribes and Pharisees had spread thereon, that no man might perceive the brightness of his countenance. He weedeth out the thorns and bushes of their pharisaical glosses, wherewith they had stopped up the narrow way and strait gate, that few could find them.

wells. W. T.

of heaven,

W. T.

The wells of Abraham are the scripture. And the scripture Abraham's may well be called the kingdom of heaven, which is eternal The kingdom life, and nothing save the knowledge of God the Father, and what it is. of his Son Jesus Christ. Moses' face is the law, in her right John xvii. understanding; and the law in her right understanding is the The key, key, or at the least way the first and principal key, to open w. T. the door of the scripture. And the law is the very way that The law is bringeth unto the door Christ, as it is written, Gal. iii. "The

[2 Such is the title placed at the head of this Exposition in Day.]

Moses' face.

what it is.

the way that Christ. W. T..

leadeth to

Gal. iii.

Rom. x.

law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." And "the end of the law," that is to say, the thing, or cause why the law was given, "is Christ, to justify all that believe1:" that is to say, the law was given to prove us unrighteous, and to drive us to Christ, to be made righteous Law, what through forgiveness of sin by him. The law was given to make the sin known, saith St Paul, and that sin committed under the law might be the more sinful. The law is that thing which Paul in his inward man granted to be good, but was yet compelled ofttimes of his members to do those things which that good law condemned for evil.

her office is.
W. T.
Rom. iii.

Rom. vii.

The law

uttereth 2 sin,

our deeds,

and driveth

The law maketh no man to love the law, or less to do or condemneth commit sin; but gendereth more lust, and increaseth sin. For us to Christ. I cannot but hate the law, inasmuch as I find no power to do it; and it nevertheless condemneth me, because I do it not. The law setteth not at one with God, but causeth wrath.

W. T.

Rom. v. Rom. iv. John i. Moses gave

Christ only

to do it, and

"The law was given by Moses, but grace and verity by the law, but Jesus Christ." Behold, though Moses gave the law, yet he giveth grace gave no man grace to do it, or to understand it aright; or understand it wrote it in any man's heart, to consent that it was good, and to wish after power to fulfil it. But Christ giveth grace to do it, and to understand it aright; and writeth it with his holy Spirit in the tables of the hearts of men; and maketh it a true thing there, and no3 hypocrisy.

aright.

serpent.
W. T.
Numb. xxi.

The law, truly understood, is those fiery serpents that The brasen stung the children of Israel with present death. But Christ is the brasen serpent; on whom whosoever, being stung with conscience of sin, looketh with a sure faith, is healed immediately of that stinging, and saved from the pains and sorrows of hell.

The law and faith be of contrary operations. W. T.

The scripture,

how it is

locked up.

W. T.

It is one thing to condemn, and pronounce the sentence of death, and to sting the conscience with fear of everlasting pain: and it is another thing to justify from sin; that is to say, to forgive and remit sin, and to heal the conscience, and certify a man, not only that he is delivered from eternal death, but also that he is made a son of God and heir of everlasting life. The first is the office of the law: the second pertaineth unto Christ only, through faith.

Now if thou give the law a false gloss, and say that the [1 So Tyndale's Translation.]

[2 That is, detects.]

[3 L. no; but D. none.]