od;" signifying, that he
condemns not all rich men, but only those who set their heart upon riches,
who care not how they get them, and when they have them, who abuse them to
the satisfying of their own carnal appetites and fleshly delights and
pleasures, and use them not to the honour of God.

And again, such riches as are justly, rightly, and godly gotten, those are
the good creatures of God, when rightly used to the glory of God, and
comfort of their neighbours; not hoarding nor heaping them up, to make
treasures of them. For riches are not evil of themselves; but they are
made evil, when our hearts is set upon them, and we put hope in them; for
that is an abominable thing before the face of God. Now after these words
spoken by our Saviour Christ, Peter came forth, saying, "Lo, we have
forsaken all that we had, what shall be our reward?" Peter had forsaken
all that he had, which was but little in substance, but yet it was a great
matter to him, for he had no more than that little: like the widow who
cast into the treasury two mites, yet our Saviour praised the gift above
all that gave before her. Here thou learnest, that when thou hast but
little, yet give of the same little; for it is as acceptable unto God, as
though it were a greater thing.

So Peter, in forsaking his old boat and net, was approved as much before
God, as if he had forsaken all the riches in the world; therefore he shall
have a great reward for his old boat; for Christ saith, that he shall be
one of them that shall sit and judge the twelve tribes of Israel; and to
signify them to be more than others, he giveth them the name of judges;
meaning, that they shall condemn the world: like as God speaketh of the
queen of Sheba, that in the last day she shall arise and condemn the Jews
who would not hear Christ, and she came so great a journey to hear the
wisdom of Solomon. Then he answered and said, "Whosoever leaveth father,
or mother, or brethren, for my sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and
shall inherit everlasting life." Now what is this, to leave father and
mother? When my father or mother would hinder me in any goodness, or would
persuade me from the honouring of God and faith in Christ, then I must
forsake and rather lose the favour and good-will of my father and mother,
than forsake God and his holy word.

And now Christ saith, "The first shall be last, and the last shall be
first," alluding to St. Peter's saying, which sounded as though Pete