A03620:450
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.
All men that shall profitably know and feel the certainty of Gods promises in this life, and enjoy them in the life to come, shall be troubled with some pain of doubtfulness of them,1 before he come to perfection. For as by sin death entered into the flesh,2 and also the flesh is subject unto sickness and adversity: so is there entered into the soul and powers thereof,3 by reason of sin, great imperfection. As the mind of all men is burdened with ignorance,4 the heart with contumacy,5 and the will with frowardness, so that as they be before regeneration and knowledge of God in all godly matters stark blind, very obstinate, and naturally altogether froward: even so after regeneration and the knowledge of God, they continually resist and fight against the spirit, not only of man, in whom these powers dwell:6 but also against the spirit of God,7 that teacheth and leadeth the spirit of man to eternal salvation: ⟨image 103⟩So that it is not man that is able to overcome the wickedness of his own soul.8 And therefore seeing life through grace dwelt in a body naturally full of sin, Saint Paul said,9 I do live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. So this Prophet Asaphe seemeth in words to be stark dead from grace,10 but it was not for ever: for he felt the spirit of God that told him, that such heavy and ungodly thoughts of his spirit came of his own infirmity, and that Gods right hand could alter and change them. And this is the difference between the affliction of the godly and ungodly: as it is wonderfully set forth in the Psalm next before this saving one, where it is said: