A03620:174
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 father, when he saw him, spat not at him, reviled him not, asked no accounts of the goods he had viciously spent, laid not to his charge his filthy conversation with whores and harlots, neither did ⟨p. 53⟩he cast into his teethe, how he had dishonoured him and his family: but when he saw him a far off, he was moved with compassion towards him, ran to meet him, took him about the neck, and kissed him. The son confessed his fault: and the father minding more the comfort of his lousy and beggarly son, then the repetition of his transgressions: commanded his servants speedily to fetch him robes and to clothe him, gave him a ring upon his finger, and shoes to his feet, killed his fat calf, and made merry and rejoiced with his lost son, that he was found again. Here is the state and condition of a soul, that waiteth (as Asaph saith) for a time upon the Lord in trouble and heaviness, marvellously set forth.
The father, when he sawe him, spatte not at him, reuiled him not, asked no accomptes of the goods he had viciously spent, laide not to his charge his filthie conuersation with whores and harlots, neither did ⟨p. 53⟩he cast into his téethe, howe he had dishonoured him and his familie: but when he sawe him a farre off, hee was moued with compassion towardes him, ranne to méete him, tooke him about the necke, and kissed him. The sonne confessed his fault: and the father minding more the comforte of his lowsie and beggerly sonne, then the repetition of his transgressions: commaunded his seruantes spéedily to fetche him robes and to clothe him, gaue him a ring vpon his finger, and shooes to his féete, killed his fat calfe, and made merrie and reioyced with his loste sonne, that he was found againe. Here is the state and condition of a soule, that wayteth (as Asaph saith) for a time vpon the Lorde in trouble and heauinesse, meruellously sett foorth.
See this wretched man spoiled of all his goods, destitute of all friends, shut out of all honest company, of a Gentleman become a swineherd, of one that had once men to wait upon him, become now a waiter upon pigs: once he gave others meat, and now all men refuse to feed him: erst a man that scarce delicate dishes could content his appetite, now his stomach irketh till it be filled with swines food: yet more over then that, he saw nothing behind him, nor before him: but misery and wretchedness. Behind him he left all his goods spent riotously, his estimation, parentage, such friends as he had: when money was plenty, lost & also (as far as reason could see) his fathers utter displeasure and the reproach & ignominy of his alliance and kinsfolk purchased for ever. Before him he saw hunger and scarcity, a sort of filthy swine, and the best meat, draff & chaff for the sustenance and maintenance of his piggish life, in case he might have been so maintained: yet in the middest of these sorrows,