A03620:8
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.
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.
And first to touch his blessed beginning, blessed (I say) even from above with the dew of Gods grace, his education in Oxford, his prosperous proceeding in the knowledge of Divinity, his forsaking not only of the University, but also his common Country, his flight into Germany, his return into England, ⟨image 3⟩his painfulness in preaching, his fame and credit among the people, his obtained favour with the Kings majesty,1 his advancement to more than a Bishoplike dignity, his dispensation for his ceremonious consecration, his secret enemies the supporters of papistry, his supplantation by their privy conspiracies, his faithful continuance notwithstanding in sowing sincere doctrine, his painfulness in hearing public controversies, his visiting of schools and fountains of learning, his maintaining of godly discipline, his want of partiality in judgement betwixt person and person, his Bishoplike behaviour abroad in his Diocese, his fatherly affection at home towards his house and family, &c. do warrant him the name of a Saint upon earth: & surely God hath registered him in the Calendar of his chosen servants in heaven. Again the falling away of his favourers when religion languished, the malicious practises of his adversaries threatening his destruction, the bloodthirsty broaching of his persecution, his appearing before the Queen and her Council, the tyrannical contumelies of his Archenemy,2 his spiteful accusation, his mild purgation, his undeserved deprivation, his cruel imprisonment, his hard entertainment, his lamentable lodging, his succourless sickness, his pitiful complaints, his restless tribulations, his strait examinations, his apologetical avouchments, the committing of him to the Fleet, the tossing of him from the Fleet to the Counter in Southwark, from the Counter in ⟨image 4⟩Southwark to the Clink, from the Clink to Newgate, his unjust degradation, his cruel condemnation, and his lamentable execution, &c. all these pageants considered, as they were done, would make a flinty heart to melt, and stony eyes to sweat, not only water, but also blood: and to be short, the whole body, though all the limbs thereof were as strong as steel, even for pities sake to tremble.