A03620:91
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.
But now the Prophet declareth, how and by what means God is with him, and doth deliver him from all troubles. And this means of Gods presence and defence, he openeth by divers Allegories and Translations, wonderful meet and apt to express the thing that he would show to the world. The first Translation or Allegory, he taketh of the nature of a rod: the second, of a staff, and saith, They did comfort him and defend him: the third, he taketh of a table, which he saith the great shepherd prepared before his face, against as many as troubled him: the fourth, he taketh from the nature of oil, and of a cup that was always full, wherewith he was not only satisfied, but also joyfully replenished in all times, and all troubles whatsoever they were. By the rod, is many times in the scripture understanded the punishment and correction that God useth, to call home again, & to amend his elect & beloved people, when they offend him: He punisheth them, and yet killeth them not, he beateth them, until they know their faults, but casteth them not away: as he said to king David,1 that when he dyed, his kingdom should come unto one of his own children: & in case he went astray from his law, he would correct him with the rod of other Princes, and with the plagues of the sons of men, but my mercy (saith God) I will not take from him, as I did from Saul. This same manner of speech may ye read also in his. 89. ⟨image 30⟩Psalm, and in the Proverbs of his son king Solomon ye have the same doctrine:2 He that wanteth a heart, must have his back beaten with a rod. And in the same book he saith, He that spareth the rod, hateth the child. So doeth king David here confess, that it is a very necessary and requisite way, to keep the sheep of God from perishing, to be chastened and corrected when they wax wanton, and will not hear the voice of their shepherd. And it is the part of every wise godly man, to love this correction and chastisement of the Lord, as Solomon saith:3 He that loveth discipline and correction, loveth knowledge: he that hateth to be rebuked, is a fool. And king David saith, It is to my great good commodity, 4