A03620:447
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.
Out of these verses first we see a common rehearsal of the great terror and fear of the feeling of Gods displeasure and anger towards the woeful spirit for sin. The first meditation of the sinful spirit was this: Will the Lord absent himself for ever? This may be understood two manner of ways. For this English word (ever) hath two meanings in the Hebrew tongue. Sometime it is taken for continuance and time everlasting:1 sometime for certain years, and the life of men. If it be taken in this place for time everlasting, the sorrows of the Prophet were the greater, when he revolved with his spirit, that God justly for sin might cast him into everlasting pains: the remembrance whereof is greater pain, then the mortal death of the body. If this word (ever) be taken for a certain time, and the life of man, then meaneth the Prophet thus: Will ⟨p. 105⟩God as long as I live absent himself? And thus continue me in heaviness of spirit and sorrows, as long as I live? Which sense soever be taken, there be profitable things to be learned of it. But I suppose the latter sense to be the better for divers causes. First in this, that the Psalm containeth the complaint and prayer of the Prophet, a man of God, that cannot be brought to this desperation, that he should be cast away for ever from the favour of God unto eternal pains. And the text that saith: It is mine own infirmity, and the right hand of the Lord can change this: doth bear with this latter sense and explanation. For the words be of great weight, and of marvellous wisdom and consolation, and do declare, that although the Prophet felt the judgement of God against sin, and was in a marvellous terror & fear with the horror and sight of his sins: yet the spirit of God did testify with his spirit,2 that he was the child of God,3 and that it was a pain and punishment of the soul and body, and not a desperation and thorough casting away and absenting of Gods mercy. For the very elects of God be chosen, so ordained,4 so preserved and kept, that nothing is able to take them out of Gods hand. For the godly men in the Scripture, did rejoice, with the assurance of Gods certain promise: and did not presume to do evil, as S. Paul in sundry places doth give testimony: Once to the Romans, where as he felt and perceived the filthiness of sin, & the just judgement of God against the same: