A03620:184
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 experience of the same winds and floods, we may see in the Acts of the Apostles. For when Peter & the rest builded the house of God,1 that is to say, taught men their salvation by the merits and passion of Christ: there arose such winds and floods, that the builders were put into prison, and the building in great danger. When S. Stephen builded the congregation with Gods word in Christ,2 whiles he was building,3 such winds and floods of malice assaulted him, that his brains were knocked out. When Ananias and the rest planted & builded the house of God, that is to say, converted the infidels unto the faith of Christ at Damascus:4 there arose such winds and tempests at Jerusalem, that Saul came from thence towards Damascus, with commission from the high priests, to kill the builders, & to overthrow all they had builded. Let us leave off the examples of holy men, & see what happened to the head & chief captain ⟨p. 55⟩all Saints & good builders,5 our saviour Jesus Christ. When he called the world from ignorance to knowledge, from death to life, and from damnation to salvation: there arose such winds and storms, that, had he not been the rock it self of strength and invincible power, he had been overthrown clean, and his buildings turned upside down. For before he was of age to be borne,6 in his mothers belly, the devil went about to slander him as a bastard: and would have persuaded the same to the godly man Joseph, spoused in marriage to the blessed virgin Mary. He had no sooner put his head out of his mothers belly: but straight way Herodes sword was whet and bent to kill him. Within a little while after, the devil stirred up his own kins-folk & countrymen,7 to cast him down from a hill top, and to break his neck: and at length killed him indeed. But what was the outgoing of this builder? Forsooth, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. And what was the assurance of his building,