A03620:136
Certain comfortable expositions of the constant martyr of Christ, M. John Hooper, Bishop of…Certeine comfortable expositions of the constant martyr of Christ, M. Iohn Hooper, Bishop of…
Certain comfortable expositions of the constant martyr of Christ, M. John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester written in the time of his tribulation and imprisonment, upon the XXIII. LXII. LXXIII. and LXXVII. Psalms of the prophet David.Certeine comfortable expositions of the constant martyr of Christ, M. Iohn Hooper, Bishop of Glocester and Worcester written in the time of his tribulation and imprisonment, vpon the XXIII. LXII. LXXIII. and LXXVII. Psalmes of the prophet Dauid.
London: printed by Henry Middleton, 1580London: printed by Henrie Middleton, 1580
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The second thing to be gathered of the first part, is to mark and see, that in the very elects of God, and most excellent personages amongest holy men: there is sometime, quiet, patient, and thankful sufferance of adversity strongly, that it seemeth in the soul of him that is troubled, there is so constant and strong faith, that it maketh all sorrows and troubles rather pleasant and sweet, then heavy, burdenous, or painful. At another time troubles seem unto them so heinous and grievous, that the burden of them is as great a pain, as death: not only unquieting the body, but also very sore vexing of the spirit, with these and like cogitations,1 God hath cast me out of his sight, God will have mercy upon me no more, My soul is heavy and troubled. And this diversity of increase and decrease of faith and hope of holy men and women before our time, teacheth us great wisdom and consolation: wisdom, in that we see, faith and hope be not natural qualities in man, although he be never so virtuous, or never so graciously elected by God, to eternal salvation: but they be the merciful gifts of God, given unto man for Christs sake: and wrought by the holy Ghost, above mans deservings.
The second thing to be gathered of the first parte, is to marke and sée, that in the verie electes of God, and most excellent personages amongest holie men: there is sometime, quiet, patient, and thankfull sufferance of aduersitie strongly, that it séemeth in the soule of him that is troubled, there is so constant and strong faith, that it maketh all sorrowes and troubles rather pleasaunt and swéete, then heauie, burdenous, or painefull. At another time troubles séeme vnto them so heynous and grieuous, that the burden of them is as great a paine, as death: not onely vnquieting the bodie, but also verie sore vexing of the spirite, with these and like cogitations,1 God hath cast me out of his sight, God will haue mercie vppon me no more, My soule is heauie and troubled. And this diuersitie of increase and decrease of faith and hope of holie men and women before our time, teacheth vs great wisedome and consolation: wisdome, in that we sée, faith and hope be not naturall qualities in man, although he be neuer so vertuous, or neuer so gratiously elected by God, to eternal saluation: but they be the mercifull giftes of God, giuen vnto man for Christes sake: and wrought by the holie Ghost, aboue mans deseruings.