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…

But in this that he calleth the trouble by so many names, it declareth that his spirit was for the time so disquieted, that the pains in manner could not well be named and expressed. As it is to be seen always when the mind of man is brought into an excellency and profoundness of mirth or sorrow: then it is so ravished with the vehemency of them both, that the tongue is not able to express the inward joy, nor the inward sorrow, as it is to be seen as well in profane writers, as in the holy word of God. Read ye ⟨image 108⟩the 18.¹ Psalm of king David, which he sung to the Lord when he was quit and delivered from all his enemies, & ye shall see what shift and copy of words he used to name God, & to express what he thought of God in his heart, and with what Metaphors he expresseth the strength of God, that overcame all his enemies, the Psalm is to be read and marked. Again, read ye these Psalms 42. 43.² where ye shall perceive the prayer of David, wherein is described a vehement agony and most bitter battle between faith and desperation: and there mark, what words he hath found out, to express the sorrows of his heart, that was so sore put in doubt by desperation and weakness of faith. The Harte (saith he) being wounded, was never more desirous to come to the water: then my soul desireth to come to thee ô God. And at length, when he can find no more words to utter the pensiveness of his heart, he turneth his words inward to his own soul, and asketh why she is so heavy and sad. Ye may see also the very same joyful and sorrowful spirits in the ballads of Solomon, and in the lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet. In the one it seemeth, that the soul annexed unto Christ, is in such joy as the tong can not express it: and in the other for sin, the soul is afflicted in such sort, that it can not tell how to express the heaviness thereof.

But in this that he calleth the trouble by so many names, it declareth that his spirite was for the time so disquieted, that the paines in maner could not well be named and expressed. As it is to be séene always when the minde of man is brought into an excellencie and profoundnesse of mirth or sorrowe: then it is so rauished with the vehemencie of them both, that the toung is not able to expresse the inward ioy, nor the inwarde sorrowe, as it is to be séene as well in prophane writers, as in the holy word of God. Reade ye