A03620:431
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.
Commentary Psalm 77 › Body of exposition › Part 3 (verses 2-9): ¶The third part.
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.
If the spirit be void of Gods fear, then doth it speak of malice falsely to slander the good, as king David doth declare: or else for trembling or quaking,1 it can speak nothing at all, as ye may perceive by the Prophet Asaph in this place. He that will therefore consider accordingly, the greatness of this fear in the spirit, and how it taketh away the office of every member external: doubtless must labour to have the spirit that David prayeth,2 in this sort: Cor mundum crea in me deus, & spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis, Create in me a clean hart, O Lord, and renew in me a right spirit. In the which verse the Prophet prayeth first, to have such an heart, as by faith in Christ may be clean and purged from sin: and next, to have a certain and sure spirit, that doubteth nothing of Gods promises towards him. For, such a spirit within the body of man or woman, maketh the heart so joyful, that no sorrow can molest it: and it strengtheneth so every member, that they will be given to nothing so much as to the service of God. But if the spirit be wicked, doubtless ⟨image 97⟩the outward members will serve nothing but iniquity: if it be troubled, the outward members can not be quiet. For as the soul giveth life to the body:3 so doth the virtue of God in the soul, draw the outward parts of the body unto the obedience of virtue. And contrariwise,4 the vice of the soul draweth the members of the body unto the service of sin and iniquity. And as the ears and eyes of man were made by God,5 to be instruments to hear and see Gods will and pleasure,6 & by them (sith man fell in Paradise) knowledge might come into the soul and spirit of man, by hearing Gods word preached, & seeing his sacraments ministered: so by them abused, in hearing and seeing of sin and abomination, there entereth into the soul much vile filthiness and transgression. The Prophet Asaph (therefore) doth admonish us to beware that we bring not our spirits into discomfort, by sin and transgression of Gods laws: for if we do, whether the offence be done in the spirit, by the evil that naturally is in it, by original sin, by the temptation of the devil, or by the means of any member of the body: