E Notes or Glosses
On Saint Matthew’s Gospel. 1525. Aimo [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 4 on the First Twenty-one Chapters of St Matthew’s Gospel. Chapter I
Abraham and David are first rehearsed, because that Christ was chiefly promised unto them.
St Matthew leaveth out certain generations, and describeth Christ’s lineage from Solomon, after the law of Moses. But Lueas 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.
That is, he would not put her to open shame, as he well 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 all men from their sins by his merits, without their deserving. Christ bringeth God: where Christ is, there is God; and where Christ is not, there is not God.
Ye shall not suppose that he knew her afterward. But itis the manner of the scripture so to speak. Gen. viii. The raven eame not again till the water was drunk up, and the earth dry.” The seripture meaneth not, he came again afterward: even so here, it followeth not that Joseph knew our lady afterward.
Chapter
Of Matthew they are called Magi; and in certain countries 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 dwelt therein. [! 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 15—2
Rachael was buried not far from Bethlehem; and the Ε prophet signifieth that as she mourned her son Benjamin, in: whose birth she died, so should the mothers of those children E mourn. And here may we see how it goeth alway with the E 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. 4
Chapter Chapter
The world thinketh to possess the earth, and to defend their own, when they use violence and power; but Christ Í teacheth that the world must be possessed with meekness only, 3 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. d When the preachers cease to preach God’s word, then