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…

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, ⟨image 50⟩attending in his spirit upon the mercy of his father: marvellously in the filth of a pigs sly, and in the pains and anguish of misery: hark what a wonderful doctrine he bloweth out: Oh what abundance of bred is there in my fathers house, and I starve here for hunger? I will arise and get me to him, and confess my fault, &c. He sayeth not, Oh what abundance of bread hath my brother and my kinsfolk: but, What abundance of bread is there in my fathers house. He said not, I will make my complaint to my brother: but said, To my father.

Sée this wretched man spoyled of al his goods, destitute of all friendes, shutte out of all honest cōmpanie, of a Gentleman become a swineheard, of one that had once men to waite vppon him, become now a waiter vpon pigges: once he gaue others meate, and nowe all men refuse to féede him: erst a man that scarse delicate dishes coulde contente his appetite, nowe his stomache yrketh till it be filled with swines foode: yet more ouer then that, he sawe nothing behinde him, nor before him: but miserie and wretchednesse. Behind him he left al his goods spent riottously, his estimation, parentage, such frends as he had: when mony was plentie, lost & also (as farre as reason could sée) his fathers vtter displeasure and the reproch & ignominie of his alliaunce and kinsefolke purchased for euer. Before him he saw hunger and scarsitie, a sorte of filthie swine, and the best meate, draffe & chaffe for the sustenance and maintenaunce of his piggishe life, in case he might haue béene so mainteyned: yet in the middest of these sorrowes,