A03620:441
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.
The other is obscurity or darkness inwardly in the text.1 For although the letter be well known, and the sound thereof seemeth to be plain: yet the sense is not so common nor so manifest as the letter soundeth. Whereupon S. Paul bindeth all men in the understanding of the letter, unto the Analogy and proportion of faith, that no one place be taken contrary to many places. Whereof was gathered the abridgement of our common Creed, accepted at all times and of all Christian men, for an infallible trueth: so that whosoever believed it, was accounted a good Christian man. And of this obscurity of the Scripture in the sense and spirit, is risen this troublesome contention about transubstantiation of bread and wine in the sacrament of Christs body and blood. For the ungodly sort would have no substance of bread and wine to remain in the Sacrament, and yet a corporal presence of body and blood: contrary, not only to the articles of our ⟨image 100⟩faith,2 that telleth us he is in heaven, and shall abide there until he come to judge the quick and the dead:3 but also contrary to many other places of the scripture.4 And this is no new thing,5 to have and record the text and letter of the Scripture, and yet lack the effect and the very consolation of the Scripture in deed.6 For here in these two verses the Prophet Asaph doth record and remember Gods doings mercifully7 in time past, and yet taketh no more consolation thereof: then he findeth in the bark of the letter, or in the rehearsal of the histories. And the same he doth of his own Psalms and Hymns, whereof he maketh mention, and yet by the same mean his spirit is brought into no further considerations of Gods trueth then it was before: with much heaviness and sorrow, as the verses following do declare: So that in the affliction of the spirit he could repeat and call to his remembrance the truth, how God had dealt mercifully with his forefathers, but felt not at that present the like mercy of God towards himself: neither could he see nor feel for his consolation the ease and succour of Gods promises which he saw in others: as all the elects of God at length shall doubtless feel: As it is said by the Prophet,