16. Fast.] He forbiddeth not open and publike fasts, which in the Scriptures were commanded and proclamed to the people of God; and the Niniuites by such fasting appeased Gods Wrath: but to fast for vaine glorie and praise of men, and to be desirous by the very face and look to be taken for a faster, that is forbidden, & that is hypocrisie.
20. Treasures in Heauen.] Treasures layd vp in Heauen, must needs signifie, not faith only, but plentiful almes, and deeds of mercie and other good workes, which God keeping, as in a booke, wil reward them accordingly: as of the contrarie the Apostle saith: He that soweth sparingly, shal reape sparingly. 2. Cor. 9.
24. Two Masters.] Two religions, God and Baal, Christ and Caluin, Masse and Communion, the Catholike Church and Heretical Conuenticles. Let them marke this lesson of our Sauiour, that thinke they may serue al masters, al times, al religions. Agayne, these two masters do signifie, God and the world, the flesh and the spirit, iustice and sinne.
25. Careful.] Prudent prouision is not prohibited, but too much doubtfulnes and feare of Gods prouision for vs: to whom we ought with patience to committe the rest, when we haue done sufficiently for our part.
Chap. VII.
In this third and last Chapter of his Sermon, because we know not mens endes, he biddeth vs beware of iudging: 6. and neuer the lesse to take open dogs (so he calleth them) as they be. 7. If these workes of iustice seeme too hard, we must pray instantly to him that giueth them. 12. In the conclusion, he giueth one short rule of al iustice. 13. and then he exhorteth with al vehemencie to the straite way, both of the Catholike faith, 21. and also of good life; because only fayth wil not suffice.
IVdge ″ not, that you be not iudged. 2For in what iudgment you iudge, you shal be iudged: and in what measure you mete, it shal be measured to you againe. 3And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye: and the beame that is in thine owne eye thou seest not? 4Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast out the mote of thine eye; and behold a beame is in thine owne eye? 5Hypocrite, cast out first the beame out of thyne owne eye; and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye.
6Giue not that which is ″ holy to dogs: neither cast ye your pearles before swine, lest perhaps they treade them with their feete, & turning, al to teare you.
7Aske, and it shal be giuen you: seek, and you shal find, knock, & it shal be opened to you. 8For ″ euery one that asketh, receiueth: and that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shal be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his childe shal aske bread, wil he reach him a stone? 10Or if he shal aske him fish, wil he reach him a serpent? 11If you then being naught, know how to giue good guifts to your children: how much more wil your Father which is in Heauen, giue ∷[1] good things to them that aske him?
12Al things therfore whatsoeuer you wil that men doe to you, doe you also to them. For this is the Law and the Prophets.
13Enter ye by the narrow gate: because brode is the gate, and large is the way that leadeth to perdition, and many there be that enter by it. 14How narrow is the gate, and straight is the way that leadeth to life: and
- ↑ These good things are grace and al spiritual guifts, and whatsoeuer pertayneth to the health of the soule.
