AN EXPOSITION OF THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. Judge not, that ye be not judged. For as ye judge, so shall ye be judged; and with what measure ye mete, with the same shall it be measured to you again. Why lookest thou on the mote that is in thy brothers eye, and markest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Let me pluck out the mote out of thine eye, and, behold, there is a beam in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, pluck first the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to pluck the mote out of thy brother’s eye.; Tuis is not meant of the temporal judgments; for Christ forbade not that, but oft did stablish it; as do Peter and Paul in their epistles also. Nor here is it not forbidden to judge those deeds which are manifest against the law of God; for those ought every Christian man to persecute, yet must they do it after the order that Christ hath set. But when he saith, “Hypocrite, cast out first the beam that is in thine own eye,” it is easy to understand of what manner of judging he meaneth.
The hypocrites will have fastings, prayings, kneeling, crouching, ducking, and a thousand ceremonies of their own invention; and whosoever do not as they do, him they count a damned soul by and by. To Christ they say, “Why fast not thy disciples, as the Pharisees do? Why pluck they the ears of corn, and rub them in their hands, (though they did it compelled with pure hunger,) and do that is not lawful on the sabbath-day? Why break ye the traditions of our elders, and wash not when ye sit down to meat? Yea, and why dost thou thyself heal the people upon the holy day? Why didst thou not only heal him that was
bedrid thirty-eight years, but also badest him bear his bed Al away upon the sabbath-day? Be there not working days 400. sufficient to do good deeds to the praise of God, and profit Eso of thy neighbour, but that thou must break thy sabbath-day? bognsou. He cannot be but a damned person, that breaketh the holy day, and despiseth the ordinance of the holy church.
He eateth butter on Fridays, without a dispensation of our holy father the pope; yea, and cake-bread, made with milk and eggs too, and white meat in the Lent; he taketh no holy water when he cometh to the church; he heareth mo mass from Sunday to Sunday. And either he hath no beads at all, or else you shall not hear a stone clink! in the hand of him, nor yet his lips wag all the mass and matins while &c. “Ὁ hypocrite! Cast out first the beam that is in thine own eye, and then thou shalt see” better. Thou understandest all God’s laws falsely, and therefore thou keepest none of them truly: his laws require mercy, and not sacrifice. Moreover, thou hast a false intent in all the works that thou doest, and therefore are they all damnable in the sight of God. “Hypocrite! cast out the beam that is in thine own eye;” learn to understand the law of God truly, and to do thy works aright, and for the intent that God ordained them: and then thou shalt see whether thy brother have a mote in his eye or not; and if he have, how to pluck it out, and else not.
For he that knoweth the intent of the law and of works, though he observe a thousand ceremonies for his own exercise, he shall never condemn his brother, or break unity with him, in those things which Christ never commanded, but left indifferent. Or if he see a mote in his brother’s eye, that he observeth not with his brethren some certain ordinance made for a good purpose, because he knoweth not the intent; he will pluck it out fair and softly, and instruct bim lovingly, and make him well content. Which thing if our spiritualty would do, men would not so abhor to obey tyranny: but they be hypocrites, and do and command all their works for a false purpose; and therefore judge, slay,. and shed their brethren’s blood mercilessly. God is the father
[[ Alluding to the custom of measuring the number of aves or]
[paternosters uttered, by dropping at the close of each one stone of]
[. the string of beads.]]
[ἐᾷ 8 [TYNDALE, r1.]]
of all mercy, and therefore gave not hypocrites such absolute power to compel their brethren to obey what they list, or to — slay them without pity, shewing either no cause of their commandments at all, but So will we have it!” or else assigning an intent damnable and contrary to all scripture. Paul (Rom. xiv.) saith to them that observed ceremonies, that they should not judge them that did not; for he that observeth, and knoweth not the intent, judgeth at once: and to them that observed not, that they should not despise them that observed; he that observeth not ought not to despise the weakness or ignorance of his brother, till he perceive that he is obstinate and will not learn.
Moreover, such measure as thou givest, thou shalt receive again: that is, if thou judge thy neighbour, God shall judge thee; for if thou judge thy neighbour in such things, thou knowest not the law of God, nor the intent of works, and art therefore condemned of God, &ec. Give not that holy thing unto dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest they tread them under their feet, and the other turn again and all-to! tear you.